Beautiful Disaster
by Lola-2011
Summary: Set in 1992. Something unexpected brings Robert and Holly back into each other's lives permanently.
1. Chapter 1

Beautiful Disaster

Disclaimer: Not Mine

Pairing: Robert\Holly

Rating: PG

June 2nd 1992

Tiffany awoke to the sound of bells. The ringing doorbell. She glanced over at the clock on the night stand. 2am. After glancing to Sean's side of the bed and after finding it empty she got up, grabbed her robe and headed for the door thinking that Sean had locked himself out again. He had been working nonstop on a top secret case for days now. Tiffany quickly made her way to the front door, only stumbling a few times along the way as she fought to fully wake up.

She unlocked the front door and opened it only to find a drenched and crying Holly on the other side. "Holly." she breathed. "Honey, get in here." she said softly as she pulled her inside and closed the door behind her. Tiffany slipped her robe off and wrapped it around Holly's shoulders. "What's wrong?"

Holly stood numbly, blinking away tears as she looked at Tiffany. "Everything." she said softly.

Tiffany took her hand and lead her over to the sofa. "Tell me what's going on. You're a disaster."

"Thanks." she replied softly.

She wrapped her arms around Holly. "Come on, you can tell me anything."

Holly rested her head against Tiffany's shoulder. "Do you remember when Robert came back in April?"

"Yes." she answered. "Right after the boat accident with Anna and Faison."

"Robert was devastated that he didn't save Anna. He blamed himself for the entire thing and was so guilt ridden because Robin would have to grow up without a mother." she explained. "I ran into him on the pier about a week after he came back. I wanted so badly to comfort him, to tell him that everything was going to be alright but he was a walking disaster and he insisted that all he needed was a glass of scotch. So I left him on the pier and I went home. I had a few too many glasses of wine, trying to erase the image of Robert, alone and grieving from my mind. I was almost there when the doorbell rang and I found a drunken Robert standing on the other side of the door."

"Oh, honey." Tiffany whispered as she gently stroked Holly's hair. "You didn't?"

Tears fell rapidly down Holly's pale face as she started sobbing uncontrollably. "We didn't mean for it to happen." she cried.

Tiffany wrapped her arms around her even tighter. "Well it happened." she said softly. "When did you find out?"

"This afternoon." she answered. "What am I going to do, Tiffany?"

"You're going to have a baby." she said simply. "Robert's baby."

tbc...


	2. Chapter 2

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: Two

Pairing: Robert/Holly

Rating: PG

"You're going to have a baby." Tiffany said simply. "Robert's baby."

Holly raised her head off of Tiffany's shoulder. "You make it sound so simple."

"Because it is." she replied. "You're not thinking of..."

"No!" Holly interjected. "I want the baby. I want it more than I've ever wanted anything."

She smiled. "Then it is that simple."

Holly sighed heavily. "Robert's traipsing around, God only knows where, looking for any clues that Anna and Faison could be alive." Holly told her. "There's no way to get in touch with him."

"Honey." Tiffany said softly. "Robert will be back once he realizes the truth, that Anna and Faison really did blow up on that boat and it won't take that long for him to figure that out."

"It's been four weeks." she pointed out. "What if he just won't accept the truth and continues to search?"

"He'll come home." Tiffany promised her. "Now, let's get you into some dry clothes."

"I really should get home."

"You're not going anywhere tonight." she told her. "You're going to stay right here and I won't take no for an answer."

She lead Holly to the guest room and quickly found her something to change into. Tiffany was turning the blankets down on the bed as Holly walked into the room. "Are you alright?" Tiffany asked.

"I'll be fine."

"What you need is a good night's rest." she told her. "Come on, get in."

Holly crossed the room and slid into bed. "Thank you."

"Can I get you anything?" she asked as she pulled the blankets up around Holly.

"Could you stay with me?" she asked.

"Of course." Tiffany walked around to the opposite side of the bed and climbed in beside her. "Everything's going to be alright." she promised. "You always have me."

"Good." she replied. "Because I'm going to need you now more than ever."

The Next Afternoon

Tiffany glanced up to see Holly enter the living room. "Well, you're finally up." she smiled. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes." she replied.

"Well, you look refreshed." she told her. "Would you like something to eat? Some eggs or some fruit or..." she trailed off as she watched Holly turn pale. "What's the matter, darling?"

"Tiffany, I love you, but if you mention food again I'm going to have to kill you." Holly said half seriously, half jokingly as she sat down beside her on the sofa.

"Morning sickness?"

"Morning. Afternoon. Evening." Holly replied. "I've experienced it all."

"It's suppose to get better after the first three months. You're halfway there."

"January seems like such a long way away." she sighed. "It's going to be the longest seven and a half months of my life."

"And the sweetest."

"What am I going to tell everyone?" Holly asked. "And Robin, what am I suppose to tell her?"

"Well, when you're ready I think Robin is old enough to know the truth." Tiffany told her. "And as for everyone else, who cares what they think. This isn't about them, it's about you and Robert and the only thing you need to worry about is that baby."

"What would I do without you Tiffany?"

"You'd be a walking disaster." she teased. "A beautiful disaster, but a disaster nonetheless."

tbc...

Am I getting the character of Tiffany right? I didn't see very much of her but she reminds me of this southern belle, family friend I know so I'm just going with it.


	3. Chapter 3

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 3

Pairing: Robert/Holly

Rating: PG

July 10th 1992

The door at Kelly's flung open and Tiffany came flying in like a whirlwind. "Holly...thank God..." she breathed out, trying to catch her breath. "Holly, you're never...going...to..."

"Calm down." Holly instructed. "Sit down and take a few deep breaths before you hyperventilate."

She reluctantly sat down across from her friend. "I was on my way to meet Sean." she quickly breathed out.

"Tiffany, try to catch you breath first."

She waved her off. "Robert." she started.

"Robert?" Holly questioned as her heart starting beating wildly. "You saw Robert?"

Tiffany nodded.

"Where?" she asked. "Where did you see him?"

"On the pier."

All of the sudden Holly couldn't think straight. This is what she had wanted, Robert to come home so that she could tell him about the baby, but in the moment she had never been so scared, so nervous. She dreaded his reaction because she feared that his state of mind was still the same as it was the night he knocked on her door, or worse that it had deteriorate even further. It had always been her intention to tell him the moment she saw him, especially after what Anna had done to him in regards to Robin, but now she wasn't sure of what to do. There was nothing like a good dose of reality to put things into perspective.

"Holly?" Tiffany called out as her breathing returned to normal. "Holly?"

"What?" she asked, dazed.

"Welcome back to earth."

"Sorry." she apologized. "I was just thinking."

"Would you like to think out loud?"

"I don't know what to do." Holly said hesitantly. "About Robert and the baby."

"Oh, honey, you have to tell him."

She nodded. "I know I should, but..."

"But what?" Tiffany asked. "He deserves to know."

"I agree." she replied. "It's just that I'm not sure how he'll take the news."

"I'm sure he'll be shocked, but thrilled."

Holly nodded. "I hope you're right."

"I know I am." Tiffany replied. "You're so in love with Robert and he's in love with you too. A love like that, the love that the two of you shared, doesn't die. Maybe this baby will bring the two of you back together."

"I don't know about that."

"You're still his wife." she pointed out. "You've made no moves to file those divorce papers."

"I know." Holly sighed. "I just can't bring myself to do it, I don't know why, but I can't."

"You can't file them because you love him and you don't want to end your marriage." she clarified. "Robert's the love of your life, you'll never find that kind of love with any other man."

"Must you romanticize everything?" she laughed.

"People like you and Robert give the rest of this cynical world hope." Tiffany told her. "You just have to believe in..." she trailed off.

"Tiffany?" Holly called out. She hated when Tiffany stopped mid-sentence.

"Robert." Tiffany said happily. "You're back."

Holly could literally feel the color draining from her face. What transpired in the next few minutes could be a disaster or a salvation for Robert.

Robert approached the table. "Yeah, I got back early this morning." he told them. "Hello, Holly, how are you?"

"Good." she managed to answer.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "You look a little pale."

"I'm sure." Holly answered quickly.

"Would you like to join us?" Tiffany asked him.

"Sure." he agreed as he pulled a chair away from a nearby table and placed it in between the two women. "Anything new in your lives?"

"Holly bought a new house." Tiffany offered up. "A few houses down from where the two of you used to live."

"Really?" Robert asked. "That's great it always was a lovely neighborhood."

Holly only nodded. Robert seemed to be alright. He even seemed to be in a good mood.

"Well." Tiffany began as she stood up. "I have to be going. I'm sure the two of you have a lot to talk about."

"Tiffany." Holly said sternly.

"No." Robert interjected. "It's alright, Holly and I do have some things to talk over."

Tiffany smiled. "Well then I guess I'll see the two of you later."

"Bye." Holly said softly as Tiffany headed for the door.

Robert moved his chair closer to Holly. "You and I do have to have a serious talk."

"We do?" she asked.

"Yes." he answered. "I owe you an apology. I should have never showed up at your apartment that night in April like that."

tbc...


	4. Chapter 4

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 4

Pairing: Robert/Holly

Rating: PG

"I owe you an apology." Robert told her. "I should have never showed up at your apartment that night in April like that."

"You mean completely smashed?" she asked.

"Yes." he answered. "I took advantage of you and your kindness and I'm sorry."

"You didn't take advantage of me." Holly told him. "We both had too much to drink and things spiraled out of control."

"Well, be that as it may, I'm still very sorry." he apologized. "It shouldn't have happened like that."

"Oh." she breathed.

"I hope that you won't hold it against me."

"Of course not." she smiled, gently caressing her growing stomach which, thankfully, was hidden by the table.

"I guess we're all entitled to a drunken mistake now and then."

The word mistake echoed in Holly's ears like ringing bells.

"Holly?" he asked. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." she answered as she made her way back to reality. "I'm...I...I'm..."

"What is it?" he asked. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm..." she trailed off. Why can't I just say the word? Pregnant, Holly, you're pregnant. Tell him. Tell him you're going to have his baby. "I'm fine." she finally said. "Everything's fine. How was your trip?"

"Successful." he replied.

Successful? Did he say successful? Damn! He's going to chase the ghost of Anna for the rest of his life. Tell him, Holly. Tell him you're pregnant. "Successful." she repeated. "How so?"

"I found some clues that could possibly lead me to Anna and Faison." he told her. "I want to bring Anna home to Robin."

Oh. My. God! He's delusional, he's tricked himself into believing that Anna is still alive. Who the hell could survive a boat explosion? Certain not that crass, abrasive bitch. It was her fault anyway. Flirting with Faison, what was she thinking? "So, you're convinced that Anna's still alive?"

"Absolutely." he replied. "I came back here to check on Robin and then I'm heading back to continue my search."

"And if you don't find her?" she asked.

"I will!" Robert said firmly. "I have to."

"You know, Robert, I know you blame yourself for what happened, but you shouldn't." she told him. "It wasn't your fault."

"But it was, Holly. It was entirely my fault!" he said raising his voice. "Why doesn't anyone see that?"

"Robert." she said softly. "It wasn't your fault. Faison is the one to blame."

"It's my fault!" he said loudly. "And I'm going to search until I find her!"

"You can't search for the rest of your life." she insisted.

"Holly, you don't understand!"

"No!" she said, equally as loud. "I understand. I understand perfectly. You'd rather spend the rest of your life chasing a ghost than to stay here and deal with your life, with your daughter. There are some things in life that you just have to accept, Robert. Anna is dead and it doesn't matter how long you search or how many clues you think you find you're never going to find her!" she got up from the table. "Anna's dead and you need to accept it."

Robert was fuming though he was trying to keep his temper in check, everything that had transpired with Anna and Faison was a strike to his abilities as a trained professional and on top of that his male pride was getting in the way. "I don't have to accept a damn thing."

"You're stubbornness isn't one of your attractive qualities." Holly told him as she turned to leave. "Good luck ghost chasing, Robert."

He watched as she stormed out of the restaurant. He refused to believe anything she said about Anna being dead, she couldn't be dead not when Robin needed her so much. And not when the renowned spy in him could solve any case.

Holly unlocked her front door and slowly made her way inside. Everything was a disaster, a complete and utter disaster. Things with Robert were suppose to go smoothly and instead they were rockier than she could have ever imagined. She threw her purse down on the sofa and made her way into the kitchen.

With one hand in the cookie jar she reached for the phone with the other. She quickly dialed Tiffany's number.

"I take it that things with Robert didn't go very well." Tiffany said.

"How did you know it was me?" Holly questioned, taking a bite of a peanut butter cookie.

"Because I've been waiting for your call." she replied. "What happened?"

"Robert is determined to continue his search for Anna." she informed her. "We got into an argument and I stormed out of Kelly's."

"Holly, you know stress isn't very good for you."

"I know." she agreed. "Robert just said all the wrong things. Starting with his big apology about showing up at my apartment back in April."

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry."

"He called it a mistake." she said as she began to cry. "He said it was a mistake."

"I'm sorry." Tiffany said softly. "How did he respond when you told him about the baby?"

"He didn't get a chance." she replied as she wiped her eyes.

"You mean you told him and then stormed out?"

"No. Holly answered. "I didn't tell him at all."

"Holly, we've been through this, you have to tell him."

"I don't know, Tiffany, I'm not sure it's such a good idea."

tbc...


	5. Chapter 5

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter:5

Pairing: Robert/Holly

Rating: PG

"I don't know Tiffany." Holly replied. "I'm not sure it's a good idea."

"Holly." she sighed. "I'm coming over there to talk some sense into you."

"I don't think it's going to work."

"Don't go anywhere." Tiffany told her. "I'll be right over.

"Fine." Holly agreed as she hung up the phone. She placed the lid back on the cookie jar and left the kitchen, heading upstairs to the master bedroom. After shedding her dress she made her way over to the closet determined to find something that actually fit her expanding form without showing it. It was impossible. The dress she took off and the outfit she wore the day before were the only ones that did the trick.

"Dammit!" she swore. "Nothing fits."

Finally giving up she shut the closet door and walked over to the dresser, grabbing a nightgown from the top drawer and slipping it on. It was a snug fit but at this point it really didn't matter, the only person that was going to see her was Tiffany anyway. Holly made her way back down the stairs and into the kitchen retrieving a glass of milk and the cookie jar. She flipped through the television channels as she waited.

The doorbell rang just as she got engrossed in an episode of Are You Being Served, reluctantly she turned off the television and got up to open the door. "Come on in, Tiffany."

Tiffany came sashaying in with her overnight bag. "I hope you don't mind, but Sean is working on a case and I didn't want to be by myself again tonight."

Holly closed and locked the door behind her. "Was it that or do you plan on talking my ear off all night about doing the right thing?"

She smiled as she dropped her bag beside the sofa. "Both." she answered as she looked Holly over. "Aren't you cute." she said, gently placing her hand over the noticeable bump in Holly's stomach. "I didn't know you were showing." she said as she moved her hand. "When did that happen?"

"A few weeks ago." Holly replied as she sat down. "I'm in panic mode because nothing fits and I don't want the whole world knowing about this. Not just yet anyway."

Tiffany sat down beside her. "Well, now we have something on the schedule for tomorrow."

"What's that?"

"We're going to go into the city and shop for maternity clothes, right after you tell Robert that he's about to become a father again."

"Nice try, Tiff." she sighed.

"Holly, you have to tell him."

"You keep saying that."

"That's because I want it to sink into your thick skull." she said as she reached into the cookie jar. "Have you had dinner?" she asked taking a bite of the cookie.

"Yes." Holly answered. "I had about two dozen cookies."

"We'll order Chinese." Tiffany told her. "Now, about the Robert thing..."

"Can we not talk about that right now?" she asked.

"No." Tiffany said firmly.

"He said it was a mistake."

"Yeah, honey, but he didn't know about the baby." she pointed out. "I'm sure that if you would have told him..."

"What difference does it make if I tell him or not?" Holly asked. "He'll still go on his wild goose chase looking for Anna and Faison."

"He'd want to be here with you."

"Maybe." she breathed. "I don't know, I don't Robert to feel obligated. If he stays here because of the baby and doesn't go search for Anna he may regret it for the rest of his life. He thinks that finding Anna will be his redemption and he doesn't want Robin to grow up without her mother."

"But yet you're willing to let this baby grow up without it's father."

"No, I just don't want to be the reason Robert spends the rest of his life regretting not trying to find Anna."

"But, Holly, Anna's dead." Tiffany told her. "There's no way she survived that explosion and Robert continuing to search for her isn't going to do anyone any good, especially him."

"I know that Anna's dead and you know that Anna's dead but Robert just won't accept the truth, not until he's ready anyway."

"You have to tell him that you're pregnant before he leaves again."

"I can't." she replied softly. "I can't be the reason he spends the rest of his life wondering what if."

"So you're just going sit back and do nothing while he leaves to play in the jungle?" Tiffany asked. "What happens when he returns? Are you going to introduce him to his child? Or are you going to lie and say it belongs to someone else?"

"I haven't thought that far ahead."

"Holly, you're not thinking rationally here. You can't keep this from Robert."

"I love him so much, Tiffany." she whispered. "And I really want to tell him, but if I do it would only make me selfish."

"Why would it make you selfish?"

"Because I want to be with Robert, I want us to be a family along with Robin." she replied, on the verge of tears. "But I'm afraid he'll reject the idea and I'm not sure I could handle that."

"Oh, Holly." she said softly. "Robert loves you and he'll love this baby too. You have to tell him." she grabbed the phone off the cocktail table and handed it to Holly. "If you don't call and tell him, I will." she threatened.

"You won't?" she challenged.

Tiffany began dialing Mac's number. "I'm going to tell him."

Holly took the phone out of her hand. "Alright." she agreed. "I'll ask him to meet me on the pier."

tbc...


	6. Chapter 6

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 6

Pairing: Robert/Holly

Rating: PG

The telephone at the Scorpios rang three times before it was picked up. "Hello?" Robin's voice echoed through the phone.

"Robin, it's Holly, is your Dad there?" she asked.

"No." she answered. "Uncle Mac took him to the airport about an hour ago."

"He left already?" Holly asked.

"Yes." Robin replied. "He's heading to Europe to look for Mom."

"I know." she responded. Holly felt her heart drop, she had ruined her chance to tell Robert. "I just didn't think he was leaving so soon."

"Did you need to talk to him?"

"I did, but I suppose it will have to wait." she replied numbly.

"Is it important?"

Holly's eyes began to fill with tears. "Very."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright, darling." she replied. "Did he say when he was coming back?"

"No." she answered softly.

"Okay. Thanks Robin."

"You're welcome."

"Bye." Holly said softly as she hung up the phone. "It's too late."

"I gathered that much." Tiffany said softly. "I'm sorry."

"Not as half as sorry as I am." she replied, sobbing. "I think I've made the biggest mistake of my life. Why didn't I listen to you?"

"Holly." Tiffany said as she wrapped her arms around her. "It's alright, Robert will probably be back in a few weeks, you can tell him then."

"And if he's not?" she cried.

"He'll be back soon."

Holly continued to cry in Tiffany's arms for several minutes. "Robin." she mumbled.

"What about Robin?" Tiffany asked.

Holly pulled way from her and wiped her eyes. "If I can't tell Robert, then I'm going to tell Robin and Mac." she told her. "I don't want anyone else telling them, they should hear it from me."

"Are you sure, honey?" she asked. "You don't have to do this right away. You can wait a while."

"The sooner the better." Holly told her. "I want to get it over with."

The Next Evening

Holly came in the house, dropped her shopping bags and headed straight for the sofa. Shopping was Tiffany was absolutely exhausting, but at least she had clothes that actually fit. Something about buying clothes she knew she would grow into was frightening and exciting all at the same time. The pregnancy still seemed so surreal to her even though the baby was making it's presence known by her growing stomach.

Robert was constantly on her mind, how could he not be she was carrying his child? Feeling surrounded by Robert was a good feeling, a comforting one since she had no idea how he was going to react to the news of their baby or the fact that she blew the opportunity to tell him.

She moved her hand over her slightly raised abdomen. The pain of losing Luke's baby flooded back to her. Things were going to be different this time. Robert's baby came first and everything else would be a distant second.

After telling the news to Mac, who was beyond stunned, the next one who she would deliver the news to in just mere minutes was just as important as telling Robert. The doorbell rang snapping her out of her thoughts. She gently patted her stomach. "Okay, little one, here goes nothing."

"Holly?" Robin called out as she made her way through the front door.

"I'm over here." she said as she sat up. "Come sit down."

Robin smiled as she made her way over to her stepmother. "Uncle Mac said that you and I had something really important to discuss."

"We do." Holly said softly.

"Is this about my father?" she asked.

"Yes." she answered. "Sort of. It's more about your father and me. Collectively."

"I know that you're still married."

"Robin..." she started. "There's no easy way for me to tell you this okay so I'm just going to come right out with it."

"Okay." she agreed.

"I'm pregnant."

"Really?" she asked. "That's great, but I don't understand, what does this have to do with my father?"

"The baby is your father's." Holly said slowly.

Everything was incredibly silent. If a pen dropped it could have been heard.

"Robin." she said softly. "I know you're confused so I'm going to explain everything to you, okay?"

"You did this on purpose!" she accused. "How could you, Holly?"

tbc...


	7. Chapter 7

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 7

Pairing: Robert/Holly

Rating: PG

"Robin." Holly said softly. "I know you're upset and you're confused and you have every right to be, but please let me explain things to you."

"You're actually going to tell me the truth?" she asked.

"Yes." she answered. "You may not want to hear it but I think you're old enough to know the truth."

Robin nodded. "Alright."

"Back in April, I ran into your father on the pier." Holly started. "We talked for a while and then we both went our separate ways."

"If you both went your separate ways then how did you end up pregnant?"

"I wasn't finished, Robin."

"Sorry." she mumbled.

"As I was saying, we went our separate ways, but Robert showed up at my apartment a few hours later, he had too much scotch and I had too much wine and things got out of hand." she explained. "I just wanted you to know that he was always faithful to your mother."

Robin sat back and took all the information in. "Why didn't Dad tell me?" she asked. "Why did you have to be the one to give me the 'good' news?"

"Robin, I know that you're not thrilled, but we're going to drop the attitude right now." Holly said sternly. "I wanted to tell you before you heard it from someone else."

"I'm sorry." she apologized. "But that still doesn't explain why my Dad didn't tell me."

"I never got a chance to tell your father." she replied.

"That's why you called the other night." she recalled. "You said you had something important to tell him."

"That was it." she confirmed.

"But Dad said that he seen you at Kelly's the day he came back."

"Yes." Holly nodded. "I did see him that day."

"Why didn't you tell him then?"

"I wanted to." she told her. "But we got into an argument and I stormed out."

"You were afraid of what his reaction would be weren't you?" she asked.

"Yes." Holly admitted. "But I wasn't thinking clearly and I know I made a mistake. Hopefully your father will forgive me."

"What if he doesn't?" Robin asked.

Holly smiled sweetly. She saw shades of Anna in Robin. And not pretty shades either. "Robert and I will work things out." she said confidently. "But since we don't know when Robert's coming back, I thought that if you'd like to be involved with the baby you could start from the very beginning."

"You mean like shopping for baby stuff and doctor's appointments?" she asked. "Stuff like that?'

"Yes." she answered. "You can be as involved or as uninvolved as you like. I'm giving you a choice here I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want to do."

Robin nodded. "I'd like that." she said softly. "I've always wanted a little brother or sister." she confessed. "Even if it's not the way I envisioned it."

"Well then, it's settled." Holly told her. "You're officially going to be a big sister."

"This is a little awkward." she replied. "But I think it's going to be okay. When is the baby due?"

"January 7th." Holly answered.

"So it's just going to be you and me?" she asked.

Holly nodded. "And Tiffany." she replied. "We can't forget Tiffany, she wouldn't dare let us."

"Of course not." Robin laughed, then turned very serious. "Thank you, Holly."

"For what, darling?"

"For including me." she replied. "I know that you didn't have to."

"I wanted to." Holly told her. "Family is very important."

"You still love my father." she stated rather than questioned.

"Very much."

"I think things are going to work out just fine." she told her stepmother. "I think I would like it if we were all a family when my father gets back."

"I'd like that too."

Robin's eyes traveled down to Holly's stomach. "Are you showing yet?" she asked.

"A little." Holly answered as she took Robin's hand and placed it over the small bump in her stomach. "So are we going to be okay?"

"Yeah." Robin smiled.

tbc...


	8. Chapter 8

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 8

Pairing: Robert/Holly

Rating: PG-13

Robert tried to sleep during the flight, but memories of Holly plagued his mind. Her words about searching for Anna and how pointless it was rang in his ears. Maybe she was right, but he couldn't give up, not just yet. He owed it to Robin to search for her mother.

Flashback April 16th 1992

Robert found himself standing outside of Holly's apartment door. He didn't know why he was there, but something lead him there. After knocking a few times he stood back, more than half drunk and waited for her to open the door. Within seconds he was greeted by her beautiful face. "Hello."

"Robert, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"I came to see you." he said slowly, careful not to slur any of his words. "May I come in?"

"You've been drinking." she noted as she opened the door farther, letting him inside. "Scotch." she added as he walked past her.

Robert pulled off his jacket and threw it over the back of the chair. "I just needed a little pick me up."

Holly closed the door. "You're not driving are you?"

"I took a cab." he told her as he made himself comfortable on the sofa. "Come sit down."

She made her way across the room and sat down on the opposite side of the sofa. "What brings you here, Robert?"

"I wanted to see you." he said as he leaned up and lifted the bottle of wine up off the table. "Nice year." he mumbled. "More than half empty. Did you have company or did you drink all of this yourself?"

The wine was beginning to take effect, Holly was beginning to feel a little light headed. "What difference does it make?" she asked slowly.

"You shouldn't drink alone."

"Thanks for the advice." she said dryly. "But I'm a big girl and If I want to drink alone I will."

"Don't let me stop you." he said refilling the empty glass, he downed half the contents and handed it to her. "Bottoms up."

"Why are you here?" she asked, taking a long drink of wine.

"I told you because I wanted to see you." he replied. "I needed to."

"Needed to?" she questioned as she emptied the glass. "I'm not in the mood to talk about the past." she informed him as she sat the glass down on the cocktail table and got up from the sofa. "If that's what you had in mind."

Robert watched as Holly crossed the room over to the window. "I really didn't have anything in mind." he told her as he got up and walked over to where she was. "Is there anything you'd like to talk about?"

Holly abruptly turned around, not knowing how close Robert was standing to her. She walked directly into him. "I'm sorry." she mumbled, but made no attempt to move. She was pressed right up against him.

"It's alright." he assured her. "Accidents happen."

She placed her hand on his chest with every intention of pushing him away until he placed his hand over hers. "Robert." she breathed as she unconsciously moved her face closer to him.

"Holly." he whispered. His focus left her beautiful eyes and shifted down to her slightly part, full, red lips. Robert inched his mouth closer and closer to hers.

"No." she said softly, but there was no conviction behind her words.

Robert pulled her bottom lip between his, softly sucking it into his warm, scotch flavored mouth. Holly tried to gain control of her thoughts and the situation but once his silky tongue passed her lips and slid into mouth all was forgotten. His hands tangled in her long, dark hair as his mouth devoured hers.

She ran her hands up and down his chest as his mouth moved away from hers and he started placing open mouth kisses down the side of her neck. "Robert." she moaned softly.

"Don't ask me to stop." he mumbled against her skin.

Buttons went flying as Holly ripped open his shirt. "I don't want you to stop." she replied as her hands made contact with his bare skin, she moved her hands up to his shoulders and pushed the material off his body. His lips left her neck in favor of her lips as her arms encircled around him to prevent him from pulling away. She slowly backed them up until her back hit the wall.

"I've missed you so much." he said between kisses. "I love you."

"I love you, Robert" she said as their kiss ended. "I love you so much."

His hands slid up under her blouse, lightly caressing her soft skin before pushing the fabric farther and farther up to reveal her lace covered breasts. "Take it off." she breathed. He followed her instructions and pulled her blouse over her head, letting it fall to the floor.

"Bedroom." she instructed.

Within mere moments the were both undressed and had found their way under red satin sheets. It was as if they had never been apart. Alcohol or no alcohol something like this was bound to happen sooner or later. A passion like theirs just couldn't be contained.

Her body covered his as their mouths engaged in a series of blistering, sultry kisses. His hands gently caressed her back, finding that her skin was so much softer than he remembered. And her kisses were full of fire and passion. Her touch was delicate and gentle, that of a woman who was still very much in love with her husband.

What was started by alcohol and a little lust was now being driven completely by love. They moved together slowly and softly, lost in their own little world where both time and reality had stopped just for them. All the things that Robert tried so hard to forget came rushing back to him. Holly was the love of his life and nothing would or could ever change that.

Present Day

"Holly." Robert said softly to himself. "My wonderful Holly."

Thinking back to their previous conversation at Kelly's it was more and more apparent to him that something about Holly was definitely not quite right, it was as if she was holding something back. He chalked it up to uneasiness. After all they had spent a drunken night together months before and hadn't seen each other since. He only wished he remembered the events of the night better. Everything was so fuzzy. He wondered how much Holly remembered or if she even reflected on their night at all.

tbc...


	9. Chapter 9

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 9

Pairing: Robert/Holly

Rating: PG

September 4TH 1992

Tiffany ordered a glass of red wine while she waited on Holly at the Outback. She had been busy at the television station the last few weeks and had only talked to Holly over the phone. She was anxious to see her in person. While she waited she picked up the menu and began looking over it.

"Am I that late?" Holly asked as she approached the table.

Tiffany put down the menu. "It's about time." she said, getting up to hug her friend. "Wow, you've really popped." she commented as she placed her hand over Holly's rounded stomach.

"Yes, I know." Holly replied, sitting down. "You should see some of the looks I've been getting from people in this town."

"Oh." Tiffany sighed, following suit. "It's none of their business."

"It's Port Charles." Holly pointed out. "Everything is everybody's business."

"I'm not going to argue with you there." she replied. "Have you heard anything from Robert?"

Holly smiled sadly. "No." she answered. "He hasn't made any contact with anyone since he left. I hope he's alright."

"I'm sure he's fine. He's just working his issues out." Tiffany assured her. "He'll be back soon."

"I certainly hope so." she sighed. "I don't think I could live with myself if he missed out on the baby's birth."

"He was gone two and a half months last time right?" Tiffany asked. "It's only been about eight weeks since he was here. I'm sure he'll show up soon."

"Tiff, do you mind if we don't talk about Robert?" Holly asked.

"Oh, sure, honey." she agreed. "How's Robin?"

"Nervous about starting high school." she told her. "We spent yesterday afternoon shopping for new clothes and all of yesterday evening crying about our fears."

"The two of you have grown really close over the past few months." Tiffany pointed out.

"Yes we have. Robin's a great kid."

"Excuse me." Mac said as he approached the table. "Holly, I thought you and I could discuss Robin."

"Is something wrong?" Holly asked.

Mac sat down in the empty in between Holly and Tiffany. "Nothing's wrong, it's just that I've been spending a lot of time here at the club and I haven't been able to give Robin the attention she deserves."

"Didn't you and I have this conversation a few weeks ago?" Holly asked him. "When I suggested that Robin come live with me."

"Yes" he replied. "But I promised Robert I'd take care of her and besides you're pregnant and you don't need the added stress."

"Mac, Robin living with me wouldn't be added stress." she assured him. "I like having her around. You'd still be keeping your promise to Robert, you'd be taking care of Robin and you could see her whenever you like."

"I don't know." Mac sighed.

"Come on, Mac." Tiffany spoke up. "Holly could use the practice and this would be a good way to dispel all those nasty rumors about Stepmother's being wicked."

"Good point." Holly commented. "Why don't you come over in the morning and we'll discuss this with Robin?"

"Okay." he reluctantly agreed as he got up. "I'll see you in the morning."

Tiffany watched as Mac walked away. "You're certainly taking on a lot of responsibility." she commented. "Those maternal instincts must be kicking in."

"Robin's my step-daughter." Holly replied. "There's no reason why she shouldn't stay with me. Besides I hate staying in that big house all alone."

The Next Morning

Holly slowly made her way down the back stairwell and into the kitchen. She decided that she would remain in her pyjama's for the rest of the day, the effort of changing simply wasn't something that appealed to her. After a quick but healthy breakfast Holly ventured back upstairs and into the room that would be the nursery.

The room was bare except for a rocking chair. Holly had hoped that once Robert got back they could fix the nursery up together. Now a little more than halfway through her pregnancy she worried that Robert wouldn't make it back in time and childbirth wasn't something she wanted to go through without him.

After feeling a fluttering movement in her stomach, Holly brought her hand up protectively over her abdomen. She smiled to herself. The baby was moving and for the very first time she was able to feel it. It was definitely a good, warm feeling sort of like butterflies. Everything up until now had seemed so surreal but after finally feeling movement nothing had ever felt more real to Holly. Nothing had ever made her feel so alive and close to Robert even though he was oceans away.

Holly heard the doorbell echoing in the distance. Mac and Robin were precisely on time. She made her way out of the nursery and downstairs to greet them.

"Good morning." she greeted them as she opened the door.

Mac kissed her cheek. "Good morning." he replied as he made his way inside.

"Where's Robin?" she asked, leaving the door open and following Mac over to the couch. "She's not upset is she?" she asked as she sat down. "The important thing is that she's happy."

"I'm here." Robin announced as she walked through the door and dropped two suitcases in the middle of the floor. "So where's my room?

tbc...


	10. Chapter 10

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 10

Pairing: Robert/Holly

Rating: PG

September 23rd 1992

Holly laid back against the exam table, patiently waiting for Dr. Meadows. Robin, sitting in a chair in the corner of the room flipped through a magazine and Tiffany paced anxiously back and forth across room. Holly glanced over at Robin. "Sweetheart, is everything all right?" she asked.

Robin looked up. "Yes." she replied.

"You've been awfully quiet since you came home from school." Holly pointed out. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." she smiled and then went back to her magazine article.

Tiffany continued to pace back and fourth. "I don't know how you can stand all this waiting."

Holly shrugged. "It's not so bad."

"I would be going crazy." she told her. "I am going crazy."

As Tiffany walked past her for the hundredth time Holly grabbed her arm. "Tiffany, I love you, but you're making me seasick."

"I'm sorry."she apologized. "I just feel nervous for some reason."

The door opened and Dr. Meadows came inside. "Good afternoon ladies. I'm sorry to keep you waiting."

"That's alright." Holly told her.

"How have you been feeling?" Dr. Meadows asked her.

"Wonderful." Holly replied.

"Not many expecting mothers say that." she smiled. "Are you ready for the sonogram?"

"Yes." Robin and Tiffany answered in unison.

Dr. Meadows smiled. "Then we'll get started." she told them. "You know the drill Holly, lift up your shirt." she instructed. "This may be a little cold."

Tiffany and Robin both moved to Holly's free side as Dr. Meadow's began the sonogram. Dr. Meadows took her time doing the ultrasound, pointing out various things and answering Holly's questions as well as Robin and Tiffany's.

"Holly, I know you've been waiting to find out the sex of the baby." Dr. Meadows started. "But it seems as though baby Scorpio wants you to be surprised because the he or she is refusing to cooperate."

Holly laughed. "Stubborn just like Robert." she replied. "I suppose we'll just have to wait."

Returning Home

After dinner with Tiffany and Sean at The PC Grille Holly and Robin returned home. Holly took the sonogram pictures out of her purse and laid them down on the cocktail table so she could put them in the baby book. She walked into the den and retrieved the book with every intention of doing it right away but instead she laid the book down on the table next to the pictures and headed for the kitchen remembering that there was cheesecake left from the night before.

Holly sat at the breakfast bar enjoying her snack when Robin came bouncing down the back stairwell. "Holly?"

"Yes?" she answered as she poured barbeque sauce over the remaining cheesecake.

Robin went completely quiet as she watched her stepmother eat what had to be the weirdest, most disgusting pregnancy craving ever.

"Did you want to talk?" she asked taking a bite of her cheesecake.

"How can you eat that?" Robin asked in awe. "It's making me nauseous."

"Isn't that suppose to be my line?" Holly laughed.

Robin laughed. "I suppose so." she said taking a seat beside her.

"Are you ready to talk yet?" she asked. "I know something's wrong."

"Why hasn't Dad contacted us yet?" she asked. "Do you think something's wrong? That maybe..."

"No." Holly interjected. "You're father's fine." she said as she placed her fork down. "He'll be home soon." she assured her step-daughter as she pulled her into her arms.

Robin rested her head on Holly's shoulder. "I get scared something because of what happened to Mom." she confessed. "I don't want to lose him too."

Holly gently stroked Robin's hair. "Robert's very strong willed and right now he's just doing what he thinks he needs to do."

"I just want him to come home."

She placed a kiss on the top of Robin's head. "So do I." she told her. "But for right now we'll just have to make do with each other."

"And the baby." Robin added.

"Who's kicking like crazy." she said as she moved her hand down over her abdomen. "I think she likes hearing about her Daddy."

Robin moved her hand down Holly's stomach. "His kicks are getting stronger and stronger."

"You should feel it from in here." she laughed. "Scratch that. I don't want you to get any idea's."

"I'm not." she assured her.

"Have you finished your homework?"

"Not yet." Robin answered.

"You should probably go do that." Holly suggested.

Robin groaned. "Oh, okay."

As Robin headed for the livingroom to start on her homework, Holly headed upstairs to get ready for bed. Robin sat down at the desk and pulled her history book from her backpack. As she began flipping through the pages the doorbell rung. "I'll get it." she called out as she ran to the door.

She unlocked the door and pulled it open slowly. "Dad!" she said jumping up into his arms. "I've missed you so much!"

Robert hugged her tightly. "I've missed you too." he told her. "How are you?"

"Great." she replied. "Even better now that you're back. Please tell me you're going to stay this time."

"I am."

"Holly." she said suddenly. "I have to go get Holly."

"Alright." Robert laughed as he watched Robin run up the stairs. He shut the front door and made his way over to the sofa where he sat down. The scrapbook on the table caught his eye as he lifted it up off the table something fell to the floor. He laid the book back down and picked up what fell. Robert squinted, trying to figure out what he was looking at. All he could make out was a some sort of funny shape. His eyes traveled up to the small writing on the top: Holly Scorpio.

Robert quickly scanned over the picture again and then it hit him. He was looking at a sonogram picture. Holly? Pregnant? No! Impossible! His heart started racing. He looked down at the picture again, taking in the image before him. Everything was spinning. When he lifted his head he saw Holly standing on the stairs. "Holly."he said softly as his eyes traveled over her. "You're pregnant."

tbc...


	11. Chapter 11

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 11

Pairing: Robert\Holly

Rating: PG

Robert quickly scanned over the picture again and then it hit him. He was looking at a sonogram picture. Holly? Pregnant? No! Impossible! His heart started racing. He looked down at the picture again, taking in the image before him. Everything was spinning. When he lifted his head he saw Holly standing on the stairs. "Holly." he said softly as his eyes traveled over her. "You're pregnant."

Holly descended down the stairs slowly and walked over to where Robert was standing. He never took his eyes off of her the entire time she was walking toward him. A lingering silence filled the room. He watched as she stopped a few feet in front of him. Holly was glowing, she was positively radiant and he was certain he had never seen look more beautiful. "Hello Robert." she said softly.

"Holly." he managed to breath. "You're...Mine?...From the night in..." Robert could barely form a thought much less a sentence.

"Yes." she answered.

"Yes." he repeated.

"Yes to all of it." she told him.

"Wow." he replied, still in shock. "This is certainly the best welcome home gift I've ever received."

Holly smiled. "Well, I'm glad you like it."

Robert hesitantly reached out to touch her stomach. "May I?" he asked.

She took his hand in hers and guided it to her rounded stomach. "He's gotten really active over the past few weeks." she told him, holding her hand over his. "He was kicking like crazy earlier."

"He?" Robert asked. "It's a boy?"

"Well, we don't know. Every time I go in for an ultrasound the baby is never in the right position." she explained. "But Robin thinks it's a boy."

"You should be sitting." Robert told her. "Come on, sit."

Holly sat down on the sofa and Robert took a seat beside her. "I'm so glad you're back." she confessed. "I was afraid that you were going to miss everything."

"I'm here now." he replied. "And I'm staying this time."

"Really?" she asked. "No more ghost chasing?"

"No more ghost chasing."

"Good." she said softly as she reached for his hand and placed it back on her stomach. "The baby's kicking."

"Those are some powerful kicks. I think he's going to be a football player." he laughed. Robert gently rubbed her stomach, fascinated by the life inside. A life that they had created. "So we're what? Six months?"

Holly inward let in the breath she said been holding. Robert was beyond excited with the news of their baby. She had been hoping for this moment for months. "Yes." she answered. "25 weeks."

Robert moved his hand from her stomach to her face, gently caressing her soft skin. "I'm so sorry I missed out on the beginning."

That inward breath that Holly had just let out just re-inflated. "All that matters it that you're here now. I really didn't want to have this baby alone."

"So when did you find out?" he asked

That was the question that she had been fearing that he'd ask. "Find out what?" she asked.

"When did you find out that you were pregnant?" he clarified. "In July? After I left?"

Holly's heart began to race. She had a feeling that what was about to happen wasn't going to be pretty. "No." she answered.

"No?" he asked. "Then when did you find out?"

"June." she answered softly lowering her head.

"When?"

"Early June." she repeated just as softly.

Robert tilted her chin up with his hand. "Holly, look at me." he demanded. "When did you find out?"

She turned her glance toward him, her eyes filled with unshed tears. "June the 1st."

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he absorbed the information. "So you knew that day at Kelly's." he stated rather than questioned. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, raising his voice.

Holly was silent.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he yelled. "I deserved to know."

She jerked out of his grasp and got up from the sofa. "I know you did." she told him. "I should have told you right away." she said as tears began to fall down her face. "I wanted to."

"You wanted to!"

"Yes!" she yelled. "But I couldn't."

"You couldn't!" he asked as he got up and walked toward her.

"No!" Holly answered. "You were leaving again to search for Anna and Faison."

"I would have stayed!" Robert told her. "If you would have told me I would have been here with you the entire time. You know that, Holly. Please, tell me you know that."

"I do." she cried. "It's just that..."

"What?" he asked. "Please tell me what else."

"You said it was a drunken mistake." she said as she continued to sob. "You said it shouldn't have happened. What was I suppose to say after that Robert?" she asked. "Something like: You know that night you regret, the night that you wish would have never happened, well I know this is inconvenient for you, but we made a baby." she yelled. "Would that have made you happy Robert?"

"I never said I regretted it!" he told her. "I said it shouldn't have happened like that, with both of us drunk."

Tears streamed down Holly's face. "You said it was a drunken mistake." she cried.

"Holly." Robert said softly as he approached her. "You need to calm down. Come on and sit down." he said as he took her hand.

She flinched away from his touch as though she had been burned. "Don't touch me!"

"Holly." he said again. "Please sit down."

"Don't tell me what to do!" she screamed. "I've been doing..." she trailed off. A look of anguish spread across her face and she immediately clutched her stomach. "Robert, something's wrong."

tbc...


	12. Chapter 12

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 12

Pairing: Robert\Holly

Rating PG

General Hospital

Holly laid quietly in the hospital bed staring up at the ceiling tiles. She knew that she had hurt Robert by not telling him about the baby right away, the look in his eyes earlier broke her heart. Looking back she realized that she should have told him right away, but in hindsight everything was always 20/20. In the first few moments of him finding out about the baby it was if everything was going to be alright and that they had a future together, but now Holly didn't know what the future held.

Robert stood by the window looking out at Port Charles. As excited as he was about the baby, his baby with Holly, he couldn't help but be disappointed in her choice not to tell him. They had been through this before when she had returned from the dead. He knew that she had her reasons for not telling him but somehow he expected more from her although he certainly didn't deserve it.

They hadn't spoken a word to each other in over an hour. Holly wouldn't even allow him to be in the room with her when Dr. Meadows examined her. He waited outside whilst Tiffany stayed with her, holding her hand, comforting her and assuring her that everything was going to be all right. When Dr. Meadows came out and told him that Holly had experienced Braxton Hicks contractions relief flooded over him. He had never been so scared in his entire life.

Robert had convinced Tiffany to give him some time with Holly and she agreed and took Robin down to the cafeteria. In the twenty minutes that she had been gone he stood staring out the window. Finally working up enough courage he walked over to the hospital bed and sat down beside Holly. "You scared the hell out of me." he confessed.

"I'm sorry." she said dryly, continuing to look up at the ceiling. "I want to go home. Dr. Meadows said I could leave."

"I know she did." he replied. "I thought you and I could talk first."

"I really don't want to talk about anything right now." she told him. "I just want to go home and get in my own bed."

"Okay." Robert agreed. "I'll take you home."

"No." she protested. "I want Tiffany."

"Tiffany took Robin down to the cafeteria." he replied.

"Well then go get her."

"Holly, I'm the father of this baby, not Tiffany." he told her. "I should be here with you."

"Robert." she breathed out, not taking her eyes of the ceiling. "Please go get Tiffany."

He let out a heavy sigh and got up off the bed. "Whatever you want." he told her as he left the room. As soon as the door shut behind him Holly burst out into tears, tears that she had been holding back since the moment Robert had entered the room. She turned over onto her side and sobbed softly into the pillow. She had ruined everything.

"Holly?" Tiffany called out as she entered the room. "Are you all right?" she asked as she crossed the room to where Holly was. "What happened? Why are you crying?"

"I ruined everything!" Holly cried. "Robert hates me!"

Tiffany sat down on the bed beside her. "Robert doesn't hate you." she said softly, brushing a lock of hair away from her face. "He's just upset."

"He hates me." she sobbed. "You didn't see the look in his eyes when he found that I kept the pregnancy from him. I've never seen him so mad."

"So what happened when he was in here with you?" she asked. "Did you fight?"

"He kept looking out the window." Holly told her. "He was quiet for the longest time. He said that he wanted to talk, but I refused."

"Why?"

"Because I can't bare to look him in the eye." she confessed. "The look of pain and disappointment is too much for me and I put it there. What makes it worse is the fact that all of this could have been avoided if I would have just told him the truth from the beginning."

Tiffany wiped away a few of Holly's fallen tears. "I think you should just give this a little time." she suggested. "Tonight was overwhelming with Robert coming back and the Braxton Hicks contractions. I'm sure once the both of you get a good night's sleep you can work things out calmly and collectively in the morning."

"I hope you're right."

She smiled. "I know I am."

Robert knocked on the door before he left himself inside. "Is everything alright?" he asked, concerned about his wife and child.

Holly buried her face in the pillow so that he couldn't see that she had been crying. "Everything's fine." she mumbled.

Robert and Tiffany exchanged glances.

"Are you ready to go home?" Robert asked.

"Yes." Holly answered. "I just have to get dressed. Where's Robin?"

"She's waiting outside." he told her. "I'm going to take her back home with me."

Holly lifted her head from the pillow, her eyes were red and swollen, her beautiful face tear stained. "Robin's home is with me." she told him. "Besides I don't want to be alone tonight."

"I don't want you to stay alone either." he said as he moved toward the bed, relieved that she was finally talking to him.

"Well, then." Tiffany breathed. "There's the perfect solution."

"What?" Robert and Holly asked in unison.

"You have a guest room, Holly." she reminded her. "Robert could stay there. That way you won't be alone and Robert will be near his children. Come on, what do you say? Holly?"

Holly shrugged. "Fine."

"Robert?" Tiffany asked.

"Okay." he agreed. "Just for tonight."

tbc...

Sneak Peek: Holly dreams of Anna.


	13. Chapter 13

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 13

Pairing: Robert/Holly

Rating: PG

Holly slept fitfully throughout the night. At one point she was submerged in beautiful dreams about Robert and their baby and then the next minute she was plagued by horrible nightmares.

Holly's Subconscious

_She had just given birth to the most beautiful, most amazing baby girl that she had ever laid eyes on. The perfect combination of both her and Robert. Holly cuddled the baby close to her, humming a lullaby when the door opened and Robert walked in. "Good Morning." he greeted her as he made his way over to the bed. "How's daddy's little angel?" he asked, lifting the baby out of Holly's arms and cradling her in his own._

"_She's perfect, Holly." he told her. "A wonderful addition to the Scorpio family."_

"_Not to mention beautiful."_

_The door to her room burst open again and Anna came walking inside. "Are you ready Robert?" Anna asked. "We should get our daughter home."_

_Robert smiled down at Holly. "We really must be going." he told her. "I'll see you some other time."_

"_Alright." Holly agreed as she waited for him to hand the baby back to her. Instead he walked over to Anna and placed the baby in her awaiting arms. "Robert, what are you doing?"_

"_I'm handing my daughter over to her mother." he said simply._

"_No!" she cried. "I'm her mother, not Anna."_

"_You shouldn't have lied to me Holly." he replied. "If I can't trust you to tell me the truth then how can I trust you to raise my child?"_

"_Robert!" she yelled. "You can't do this!"_

"_I love Anna, she's a wonderful mother to Robin and she'll be wonderful to our new daughter as well." he told her. "Along with Robin, the baby has made our family complete."_

_Anna cradled the baby gently in her arms. "We're going to call her Anna-Kristina after me." _

"_No!" Holly started screaming. "I'll never let you take her. Never!_

Present

Holly awoke screaming and in a cold sweat. She had never been so frightened in her entire life. The thought of Robert taking her child was bad enough but Anna rising from the dead was too much. There was no way that thoughtless bitch Anna would ever get her hands on her baby.

Suddenly the room was flooded with light and Robert was at her side. "Holly, what's wrong?" he asked. "Is the baby alright?"

"The baby is all that matters to you." she accused. Her dream and reality were intertwined and she was having a difficult time distinguishing between the two. The only thing she knew for sure is that Anna was dead. "You don't care about me at all." she said as she began to cry.

"Holly!" he said as he grabbed her by the shoulders, gently shaking her so that she would look up at him. "You know that's not true." he told her.

"Yes it is!" she cried. "You're going to take the baby away from me."

"No." he tried to assure her. "I'd never take our baby from you. Ever."

"It wasn't suppose to happen like this." she told him. "Everything's a mess."

"We have some things to work out. We haven't had a chance to talk about the future." he reminded her. "In the morning we're going to sit down and talk things through, but this time there's not going to be any yelling or screaming, okay?"

Holly nodded. "Okay." she agreed.

"Now, do you want to tell me why you woke up screaming?" he asked. "That must have been one hell of a nightmare."

"It doesn't matter." she told him.

"You woke up screaming."

"You hate me don't you?" she asked, changing the subject. "You're never going to forgive me for this."

"Hate is a very strong word." Robert replied.

"But fitting."

Robert shook his head. "I could never hate you." he told her.

"It would probably make this easier if you did."

"Make what easier?"

"Settling things between us." she told him. "The divorce and the custody of the baby."

"You didn't file the divorce papers?" he asked, confused. "I had them sent to you before I left the first time."

"And I had just found out that I was pregnant." Holly replied. "Besides you and I both know that we can't divorce whilst I'm pregnant. We'll simply have to wait until after the baby's born."

"Is that really what you want?" Robert asked.

tbc...


	14. Chapter 14

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 14

Pairing: Robert\Holly Scorpio

Rating: PG

"Isn't that what you want?" Holly asked.

"Holly, I want you to tell me what you want." he told her. "You obviously had your own plans for the future. Have they changed now that I'm here?"

"My plans for the future always included you." she said softly. "You were always a major factor. How could you not be? You're the father of my child."

"So you planned to share joint custody?" he asked.

"No." she answered honestly.

"No?" Robert questioned. "I thought you said that I was a major factor in your decisions?"

"You were." she answered. "You are."

He felt as if he was going in circles. "Holly, what does that mean?"

"I always thought that we would be raising the baby together."

"Together?"

Holly nodded. "As a family." she clarified.

Robert was taken aback. "Oh." he sighed. "I didn't realize that you wanted to..."

"You don't want to?"

"I don't know." he answered honestly. "So many things have happened since we were married."

"I'm still your wife." she reminded him.

"Technically." he replied. "But we haven't been together in years Holly. We've both changed so much."

"That didn't stop you from going back to Anna after all those years." she pointed out. "Is the love you shared with Anna really greater than the love you shared with me?"

"No!" he replied. "It's just that we're not the same people we were back then. Circumstances have changed us. We just can't pick up where we left off and expect things to be the same."

"You didn't mind picking up where we left off that night in April." she snapped and immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry." she apologized. "You didn't deserve that."

"Maybe I did." Robert told her. "I was so confused that night. I was doubting everything from my ability to protect the mother of my daughter to my professionalism when it came to Faison. I didn't think I could live with myself knowing that I had let Robin down. I just wanted to numb the pain, but it didn't work. So I went to the one person who I knew could make everything better. I didn't come to you with anything in mind, Holly, but I don't regret the fact that we made love. Even if we weren't expecting this baby I still wouldn't regret it."

"So where does that leave us Robert?" she asked.

"I'm not sure."

"I know that we're in this entire mess because of my actions, but I can't change the past." she told him. "My family should have told you about my accident but they didn't. I should have told you about the baby the moment I saw you, but I didn't. I realized that I've made mistakes and I know that you're faith in me has been shaken and rightfully so. But if there's one thing I've learnt from all this is that you can't live in the past, it doesn't work believe me I've tried. I want to move forward. I want to raise my child in a warm, loving, safe environment and I honestly believe that you and I can provide that. And not just for the baby, but for Robin as well."

"Holly, I want nothing more than to move forward and plan a future." he replied. "And I think that if we move slowly and take things one day at a time everything will work out in the end just the way it is suppose to."

Holly nodded silently. She wanted so much to tell Robert that she loved him, that she never stopped loving him and that he would be the only man she would ever love, but she couldn't because the fear of him not saying it back scared her more than anything in the world. After everything she had done she was surprised that he didn't completely hate her. She wanted nothing more than to be his wife, not technically either, and the mother of his children.

"You should get some sleep." he suggested.

"Okay." she agreed, laying back against the pillows.

Robert pulled the blankets up around her. "Goodnight, Holly." he whispered as he turned off the lamp and then slipped out of the room. He made his way down the hallway and into his daughter's room.

"You're up." he commented.

"I heard Holly screaming." she told him. "Is she alright?"

Robert made his way inside Robin's room. "She just had a bad dream that's all." he replied. "She's fine."

"Are you going to be staying here with us or are you going to go back to live with Uncle Mac?" she asked.

Robert took a seat on the edge of her bed. "Well, tonight was a one time kinda thing."

"I guess that means you won't be staying here."

"That's right." he replied. "And now that I'm back you'll be coming with me."

"Why?" Robin asked. "I like it here. I don't wanna leave."

"Sweetheart, this is Holly's house, not ours." he reminded her. "Your living here was only temporary."

"Well I'm not moving." she announced. "And you can't make me."

tbc...


	15. Chapter 15

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 15

Pairing: Robert/Holly

Rating: PG

Robin entered the massive kitchen to find Robert making a rather large mess. "Oh my." she breathed. "Holly is going to have a fit."

"Why?" he asked as he looked up from the frying pan.

"Because the kitchen is an absolute mess." she replied. "And what are you making? Because if you're making eggs or anything that has eggs in it you can forget it because Holly won't be eating it. They make her nauseous."

Robert flipped the omelette over. "Fine then you can eat this and I'll fix Holly something else. French toast or something."

"French toast has egg in it dad."

"Then what do you suggest?" he asked.

"Pancakes loaded with whipped cream and blackberries." she told him. "On second thought why don't you let me do it, I wouldn't want you to mess it up." she breathed. "Anymore than you already have." she added under her breath.

"What?" he asked, not catching the last part.

"Nothing." she smiled.

"Our conversation from last night is far from over." he informed her. "We're going to finish discussing this later."

"Fine." she reluctantly agreed. "I'll make the breakfast and you can take credit for it."

"Thanks." he said with a smile. "I'm glad we're getting along."

"Yeah." she sighed.

Twenty minutes later Robert tapped softly on Holly's bedroom door before he entered with the breakfast tray in his hand. "Good morning."

Holly placed the book of baby names back on the night stand. "Morning." she smiled. "Breakfast in bed?"

Robert sat the tray down in front of her. "I thought after last night it's the least you deserve."

"Pancakes with brambleberries, my favorite." she told him as she picked up the fork. "Did you make these?"

"Yes."

"Really?" she laughed.

"Well, I helped."

Holly took a bite of the pancakes. "What did you help with?" she asked.

"The whole breakfast."

"Robin made these." she replied. "What did you do? Pour the milk?"

"Yes." he smiled. "And I'm suppose to make sure you drink it all."

Robert picked up the baby name book off the night stand. "Have you chosen any names yet?" he asked as he flipped through the book.

"Not really." she answered as she continued to eat her breakfast. "Did you have anything in mind?"

"Oh, I don't know." he sighed. "What about Kristina?"

"No!" Holly said loudly. "I hate that name."

"All right." Robert said slowly. "What about boy names?"

"I'm kinda partial to Robert Xavier myself."

"And call him Junior?"

"Xavier." she corrected him.

"Well then if we're going to name a boy after me it's only fair that we name a girl after you." he told her. "Holiday Elizabeth."

Holly laughed. "I think not."

"I think it's cute."

"You would." she replied.

"You haven't touched your milk." he pointed out.

"I'm not in a milk mood right now." Holly said. "Have you had breakfast?"

"I had some coffee."

"Here." she said offering her a bite of her pancakes. "You need to eat something."

Robert leaned forward and ate the whipped cream coated pancakes off the fork. "Satisfied?" he asked.

"Yes." Holly laughed. "You have whipped cream on your bottom lip." she told him as brought her hand up with the intentions of wiping it away.

Robert's hand caught hers before it reached his face. Holly leaned forward, her mouth inching closer and closer to his. Her fully lips parted slightly and she pulled his bottom lip between hers, gently sucking the whipped cream off before slowly releasing it. As she went to pull away Robert threaded his hand in her hair, preventing her from moving and covered her mouth with his.

"Dad?" Robin called out as she entered the room. Taken completely by surprise she gasped loudly.

Robert and Holly immediately pulled apart.

"Sorry." Robin apologized.

tbc...

Coming Soon: Putting a nursery together has never been so much fun...


	16. Chapter 16

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 16

Pairing: R&H

Rating: PG

"I'm sorry." Robin apologized. "I should have knocked."

"Yes you should have." Robert agreed.

Robin smiled. "Well I guess we're even now because I'm scarred for life."

"Well now that you're here come on in." Robert instructed her as he backed away from Holly. "We all need to talk anyway."

Robin made her way across the room and onto the bed beside her step-mother. "This is about the living situation isn't it?"

"Yes." he replied.

"What's wrong with the living situation?" Holly questioned.

"Well, now that I'm back I'd like Robin to stay with me." he told her. "This was only temporary remember?"

"I don't want to go back to that house." Robin confessed. "There are too many memories of Mom there and besides I really like it here. I don't want to leave."

"Holly, help me talk some sense into her." Robert requested.

"If she likes it here she's welcome to stay." Holly offered. "And so are you."

"Me? Stay here?" he asked.

"Yes." Holly answered. "You could move into the guest room. That way you could be here for the duration of my pregnancy."

"I don't know." he sighed.

"Come on, Dad." Robin coaxed. "Please?"

"Okay." he reluctantly agreed. "How could I resist the two of you?"

"Impossible." Holly smiled.

October 12th 1992

"Holly?" Robert called out as he made his way up the staircase. "Holly?"

"I'm in the nursery."

"They just delivered the paint." he told her, sitting the buckets down in the middle of the floor. "Are you all ready?"

"Yes." she replied. "The carpet has been covered and we're ready to go."

"Great." he replied as he began opening the first paint can. "Yellow." he commented as he removed the lid.

"Pale yellow." she replied. "It was either that or green."

Robert poured the paint into the tray. "Yellow is good." he commented. "I think Holiday will like this color."

"Robert, we've been through this, if we have a girl her name will not be Holiday."

"That's what you think."

"It's what I know."

"Here." he said handing her the paint brush. "And try not to get it everywhere."

Holly took the brushed and dipped it in the paint. "I'll do my best." she told him as she ran the paint brush down his arm. "Oops."

Robert tried to keep from laughing. "Okay." he smiled. "I deserved that." he said as he wiped the paint from his arm.

"Yes you did." she agreed. "Now, where shall I start?"

"Oh, I don't know." he sighed. "I'll start here." he said as he marked the white wall with a 'R'. "You can start over here." he said as he crossed the room, painting a 'H' on the opposite side.

Holly dipped her brush back in the paint. "Okay."

Robert stood against the wall watching her. "Remember the paint goes on the wall."

"Right." she agreed.

Holly painted a small area as Robert continued to watch her. "I knew you could do it." he replied.

She ran her brush down the front of his shirt. "Why did you want to go and do that?" he asked. "Now my shirt is soaked with paint."

"Then take it off." she suggested.

"Take it off?" he repeated.

Holly placed her brush in the tray. She moved closer to him and pushed his shirt up his abdomen, past his chest and finally off his head. "Better?" she asked.

"Much." he breathed, pulling her as close to him as her stomach would allow.

She placed a kiss in the center of his chest. "How about losing the pants as well?" she asked.

tbc...


	17. Chapter 17

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 17

Pairing: Robert & Holly

Rating: PG

"How about losing the pants as well?" she asked.

Robert wrapped his arms around her. "If I didn't know any better I would think you were trying to get me into bed."

She smiled wickedly. "Wrong."

He had been waiting for her to make a move for the past two weeks, ever since they had shared that kiss in her room. At night he would lay awake hoping that she would knock on his door. "You're not trying to get me into bed?"

"No." she answered, looking up at him. "I'm trying to get into your tuxedo."

"Into my tuxedo." he repeated.

"Yes." she replied. "The charity gala is being hosted at the Quartermaine's tonight.

"I completely forgot about going to the Quartermaine's." Robert sighed. "Do we have to go?"

"Yes." she answered. "And no arguments."

"Why didn't you remind me before now?" he asked.

"Because I didn't realize what time it was." she answered. "They were late delivering the paint and now it's almost time to get ready to go."

"I can't stand an entire evening with the those people, Holly."

"I know you can't." she replied. "And we won't be there the entire time."

"How are you going to get us out of that?"

"I'm pregnant, they'll understand if we duck out early."

"Okay." he sighed. "Works for me. Just get tired really early okay?"

"I'll see what I can do."

Four Hours Later

Robert exited the kitchen with a huge slice of chocolate cake and a glass of milk. He headed straight for the television where he had every intention of watching The Thin Man. He had to do something to get Holly off his mind. He couldn't stop thinking about their kiss no matter what he did.

"Robert?" Holly called out as she made her way down the stairs.

"Holly." he replied. "I thought you were going to bed?"

She sat down on the sofa beside him. "I'm not tired." she told him. "What are you watching?"

"The Thin Man." he answered. Holly reached over and picked the fork up off his plate. "Hey." he protested. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I didn't think you'd mind." she said as she ate the cake off the fork. "Besides you can't eat that entire slice of cake yourself."

"I planned on it." he replied snatching the fork out of her hand.

"Hey!" she whined, taking the entire plate out of his hand.

"Holly, that's not fair."

"I'm sorry, darling." she apologized as she reached for the fork. "Sometimes life just isn't fair."

"Are you going at least share?"

"Of course." she answered. "With the baby."

"The baby likes chocolate cake?" he asked.

"Loves it." she responded as she continued to eat.

"Is there anything the baby doesn't like?"

"Eggs." Holly answered. "Why?"

"Well I wanted to know what I could eat that you wouldn't take away from me." he replied. "I think I'm going to scramble me up some eggs right now." he said as he started to get up. "I'm going to make them really runny..."

"Robert!"

He laughed. "Now will you share the cake?"

"I thought you wanted to watch the movie?"

"I did.." he answered. "I also wanted to eat the cake."

Holly sat the plate down on the cocktail table and picked up the glass of milk and took a drink. "You're so whiny." she replied. "What can I do to improve your mood?"

"You can start by handing me my cake."

Holly moved closer to him. "Robert." she said softly. "I'm serious. "

Robert reached for her hand. "You were absolutely radiant tonight." he told her. "You lit up the entire room at the stuffy ole Quartermaine's." he placed a soft kiss on the back of her hand. "And incase you didn't realize it I couldn't take my eyes off of you all evening."

He watched as Holly moved closer to him, her lips only centimeters away from his.

She softly brushed her lips over his before drawing back to look into his eyes. Finally she had worked up enough courage to tell him what she had wanted to stay the first moment she laid eyes on him in New York. "I love you." she whispered. "I never stopped loving you and I never will."

Their lips met again in a slow, sensual, knee weakening kiss. Robert deepened their kiss, invading her mouth hungrily, sliding his tongue over hers, starting a heated duel that seemed to go on forever. They finally pulled apart, breathless.

"Come over here." he instructed as he pulled her onto his lap so that she was straddling him. He gently cupped her face in his hands as he looked into her dark eyes. "I've missed you so much." he whispered. "I thought that I was going to die without you."

"I'll never leave you again." she promised.

He unpinned her long, dark hair and ran his hands through it. "You and I have a lot of things to work out and it's going to take some time." he told her, drawing her closer to him. "It's not going to happen overnight, but I think in time everything is going to be fine." He gently kissed her lips then trailed open mouth kisses down her neck.

"Robert." she moaned softly. "Can we take this upstairs?"

He pulled away from her so that he could look into her eyes. "Is that what you want?"

"Yes." she whispered. "I want to make love with you."

tbc...


	18. Chapter 18

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 18A

Pairing: Robert & Fallon

Rating: R

Holly silently lead Robert upstairs and into her bedroom, closing the door behind them. The room was lit by soft, pale moonlight. Moonlight that made Holly glow even more than she already was. Robert stopped her in front of the balcony doors. "Don't move." he whispered.

"Why?" she asked.

Robert cupped her face in his hands. "So beautiful." he said softly. "It should be illegal for you to stand in the moonlight." His open mouth captured hers, his tongue invaded her mouth possessively and exquisitely as if they never wanting the kiss to end. They had waited for this moment for so long.

Their kiss continued as though it were oxygen, as though they needed it to survive. Robert's hands had made their way into her hair as her hands slid down the front of his pyjama shirt, skillfully undoing a few buttons. When they finally pulled apart he literally swept her off her feet and carried her over to the bed.

Robert gently laid her down on the bed and moved to join her.

"Wait." Holly protested. "Undress first."

He moved off the bed to remove his clothes. Somewhat in a hurry he popped a few buttons off his shirt as he hastily ripped at the fabric.

"No!" Holly protested.

Robert paused. "No don't want me to get undressed?"

"No." she answered. "Please do. Just go slow." she clarified.

"Slow." he repeated.

Robert slowly unbuttoned his shirt and then slid the fabric off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. He watched her intently as her eyes moved over his broad shoulders and down his bare chest. He unintentionally paused in his striptease, mesmerized by the passionate look in her dark eyes.

Holly's eyes followed the trail of hair on his lower abdomen waiting impatiently for what she knew lay beneath. After several long seconds she lifted her eyes to meet his. "Why did you stop?" she asked.

"I was just making sure I had your attention."

"Oh, you definitely have my attention." she rasped. "Please continue."

He smiled a devilish smile as his hands moved down to undo the draw strings of his pyjamas bottoms. He pushed the material down his thighs to reveal silk boxers and solid thighs. Holly absentmindedly licked her lips as he stood in front of her in boxers that seemed to be growing tighter and tighter by the second. "That's enough!" she said stopping him. "I'll do the rest."

"Where do you want me?" he asked.

"Everywhere." she breathed out. "But I think we'll start with the bed."

Robert complied and made his way onto the bed. Careful not to put any of his weight against her stomach he maneuvered himself off to her side of her as their lips finally reconnected. Their lips fused together, their tongues struggled passionately as they attempted to move closer and closer together.

Holly abruptly pulled away. "This isn't going to work."

"It is a little awkward." he agreed. "What way would be best for you?"

"Probably on top."

"Alright." he replied as he rolled over onto his back. "Do you want me to lie down or sit up?"

"Sit up." she instructed.

Robert maneuvered himself so that he was resting against the headboard. "How's this?" he asked.

"Perfect." Holly answered as she straddled him.

His hands settled on her hips as she moved forward, engaging him in sultry kisses that left him unable to remember his name. He worked the fabric of her night up over her rounded stomach, gently caressing the firm skin that cradled their baby. Robert felt the sting of tears against his face and pulled back to look at Holly.

"Are you alright?" he asked, brushing away her tears.

"Perfect." she breathed, kissing him again.

Robert dragged his lips away from hers and down her neck, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. He pushed the material of her nighty up and over her head, discarding it to the floor. His fingers snaked inside her cleavage, unhooked her bra and then proceeded to pull to from her body.

"Sore?" he asked as his hands moved up to cover her full, round breasts.

"Tender." she answered, covering his hands with her own showing him exactly what she wanted. "Much better." she moaned softly as he gently massaged her engorged breasts.

"Bigger too." he commented as he drug his lips down her neck.

Holly arched backward as he lowered head, his tongue swept across one of her hardened nipples before he took it into his mouth, suckling her gently whilst his other hand continued to caress the opposite breast. Holly pressed herself tightly against his swollen arousal causing Robert to arch against her movement.

Robert." she moaned softly. "I need you, now."

The moonlight continued to flood the room as Robert and Holly moved together slowly. His hands ran down her bare back drawing her closer to him. His hips lifted slightly to meet hers, giving her long, slow strokes making her melt against him, into him. Robert trailed open mouth kisses down her neck as her hands gripped the headboard behind him.

Robert moved his mouth back up to hers, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth and then slowly releasing it. "I love you." he whispered.

"You have no idea how long I've waited to hear those words."

"You don't know how badly I wanted to say them a million times before this moment." he replied, kissing her jaw. "I've always loved you, Holly and I'll never stop."

Holly continued to move against him. "I want to be your wife again." she replied. "In every sense of the word."

"And you will be." he said softly. "Starting tonight."

They continued to make love into the early morning hours. Exhausted and completely spent they fell asleep in each other's arms. The phone awoke Robert at noon. He groped the night stand in search of the ringing annoyance. "Hello?" he asked, groggily.

"Robert?" Tiffany's voice boomed across the line. "Did I wake you?"

He glanced over at Holly, who was still peacefully sleeping. "Yeah." he sighed. "It's alright though."

"Do you realize it's past noon?" she asked.

"No I didn't." he answered quietly. "Is Robin still with you?"

"Robert, I can barely hear you." she replied.

"Holly's still asleep." he whispered.

"Oh." Tiffany sighed happily. "So I guess it's okay if I take Robin shopping then, huh?"

"Fine with me."

"Okay then." she replied. "Bye."

"Bye." Robert echoed as he hung up the phone. He turned his attention to his wife. Holly looked so peaceful and angelic as she slept.

He unconsciously shifted closer to her. The smell of her hair flooded his senses. He brought his hand up to her bare arm and lazily traced patterns on the smooth, silky skin as he watched her sleep. Her hair had fallen against the pillow leaving the side of her neck bare and very inviting. Robert dropped a kiss on her shoulder and then pressed his lips against her neck.

"Mmm." she sighed.

"I couldn't resist." he murmured against neck.

Holly opened her eyes to find Robert looking down at her. "Good morning, beautiful." he said with a smile. "How did you sleep?"

"Peacefully."

"Are you hungry?" he asked as he ran his hand down over her rounded stomach. "I bet Holiday's hungry."

Holly laughed softly. "Did she tell you this?"

"As a matter of fact, she did." he told her as he slipped down the bed and gently laid his head on her stomach. "I can't wait until I get to hold her. I hope she looks exactly like her mother."

"And if it's a boy?" she asked.

"Well then I hope he looks like me." he replied. "Piercing blue eyes, full of charm and very handsome."

She laughed. "I can't wait to see you with our baby."

"Well one thing is for sure." he said. "No baby will ever be more loved than little Holiday."

"Xavier." she corrected him.

tbc...


	19. Chapter 19

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 19

Pairing: Robert and Holly

Rating: PG

October 15th 1992

Once Robert told Tiffany his plan to surprise Holly with a new wedding band Tiffany had pulled him in and out of every jewelry store in a fifty mile radius looking for the perfect ring. After trying to convince her to take break and grab some lunch for the last four stores they had been in Tiffany finally agreed.

"Has anything jumped out at you today, Robert?" she asked.

"Other than you?" he asked. "No, not really."

"Very funny." she said dryly. "I came to help you remember? Now we know what we're looking for right?"

"You keep asking me that." Robert pointed out as he took a drink of his wine.

"I'm trying to make sure you haven't changed your mind." Tiffany replied. "Again."

"I want something that's elegant, something's that's perfect for Holly."

"And how do you plan on finding the perfect ring?" she asked. "You've baulked at the five hundred rings we've looked at so far."

"I'll know it when I see it." he assured her. "Besides you volunteered for this."

"Yeah, but I didn't know you would be so difficult to shop with."

"Well you're suppose to be the expert." he replied.

"I could shop for days and days on end." she confessed. "Holly could too."

"I know." he sighed. "I've been on the receiving end of credit card bills in the past."

"Hey, after we find the ring why don't we hit a few baby stores?" she suggested. "We passed the cutest little boutique a block or so back and they had the most darling baby clothes in the display window."

"Okay." he agreed. "But you know what we need to find? One of those giant teddy bears."

After Lunch

Robert browsed through the wedding rings as Tiffany looked over the diamond bracelets. She was tempted to buy almost every piece of jewelry she had looked at. "Hey, Tiff." Robert called out, getting her attention. "Come look at this."

Tiffany literally had to drag herself away and over to Robert. "Did you find something?"

"Yes." he replied as he pointed to the ring of is liking. "That one."

"That one?" she questioned. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." he answered.

With the wedding band purchased, Robert and Tiffany headed in search of the baby boutique. It was a few more blocks away than Tiffany had remembered. Six to be exact.

"This would be so much easier if we knew the sex of the baby." Tiffany complained as she browsed through the toys. "Why can't your child cooperate during the sonograms?"

"Don't blame me."

"Must be a boy." she commented. "He's going to be just like his father. Stubborn."

"It's a girl." he corrected her. "And her name is Holiday."

"So I take it Holly has warmed up to that name?" Tiffany asked.

"Not at all." he sighed.

"Robert, there's your giant teddy bear." she said, pointing over in the corner. "I like the light brown one." she said as she walked over to where it was sitting.

Robert followed her. "I like the white one."

"Do you know how dirty a white teddy bear would get with a baby?" she asked. "Get a brown one."

"Bossy." he commented.

Tiffany smiled. "I'm just pointing out the obvious." she replied. "Grab Teddy and we'll head over to the clothes and then the blankets."

Scorpio Residence 6pm

Robert carefully maneuvered his way through the front door, his arms overflowing with bags and Teddy. "Dad?" Robin called. "Do you need some help?"

"Thanks, sweetheart." he replied as she took some of the bags out of his hands.

"Tiffany must have dragged you into every store in Manhattan."

"Believe me, she did."

Robin sat the bags down on the sofa. "That's the biggest teddy bear I've ever seen."

Robert sat Teddy down in the chair. "He's cute isn't he?"

"Yeah."

He looked through the bags that Robin had sat down on the couch. "Here." he said offering her two of the bags. "These are yours."

"Thanks." she said, hugging him. "Tiffany picked these out right?"

"Of course." he replied.

"I'm going to try these on." she said as she made a dash for the stairs.

"Hello, darling." Holly greeted Robert as she walked into the room. "Did you have fun with Tiffany?"

He kissed her cheek and then leaned down to kiss her stomach. "We had a wonderful time."

"Who's your friend?" she asked, referring to the teddy bear.

"Teddy." he answered.

"That's original." she laughed as she picked the giant bear up. "What made you buy him?"

"Well." Robert started. "I seen him and I just had to have him."

She smiled. "I think you've spent way too much time with Tiffany today." she replied. "What else did you buy?"

"Lots and lots of baby things." he said, pushing the bags out of the way. "We'll look at those later though." he told her as he sat down. "Sit down, I have something I want to give you."

Holly sat down on the sofa beside him. Robert reached inside the pocket of his jacket and retrieved a small black box. "Tiffany and I went to about seventy five different jewelry stores today looking for the perfect ring." he started. "As I was looking over the ones with gemstones and the ones with diamonds this one caught my eye." he said as he slowly opened the box. "I wanted to find something that would last forever, just like our love." Robert pulled the ring from the box then sat the box down on the cocktail table. He took her left hand in his and held the solid gold band in the opposite. "I realized that it wasn't the ring that mattered." he said softly. "Just that I gave it to you and that you wore it. A symbol of our love. A never ending circle. Simple yet elegant. Plain yet perfect." Robert slipped the ring down on her finger. "I love you, Holly."

"It's perfect." Holly leaned in and softly kissed his lips. "I love you, Robert."

tbc...


	20. Chapter 20

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 20

Pairing: R&H

Rating: PG

December 31st 1992. Pregnancy: 39 Weeks

Over the past two and a half months things sailed pretty smoothly for the Scorpio Family. It was as things were going exactly the way the were suppose to be. Robert and Holly were finally starting the family they had dreamed of having and had planned on having at least one more in the not to distant future. Robin had adjusted well considering the circumstances. She had always known deep down that her father and Holly were meant to be together. Even as a small child she realize that there was a deep connection between them.

As Holly's due date drew nearer and nearer the more restless and anxious she became. The Holidays had served as a good distraction but now approaching the New Year she became more restless than ever. Her emotions were all over the place. Happy one minute and sad and crying the next. Robert did his best to accommodate her and had learnt early on that hovering over her only made the situation worse. She would simply come to him when she was ready.

Bobbie had whisked Holly out of the house telling her that this was her last chance at going out before the baby came. With only eight days until the baby's due date Robert faced the challenged of putting the rest of the nursery together. He sat on the floor of the nursery surrounded by crib parts. He had laid out all the pieces just like the instruction booklet had told him to. The only problem was that he had no clue what he was doing. Instructions or not.

"Having trouble?" he heard an Australian accent say.

"Mac." he sighed. "Am I glad to see you."

"Looks like you need some help."

"Have you ever seen so many pieces to something in your entire life?" Robert asked. "If I knew this many pieces we're gonna come out of one box I would have left it at the store."

"Why didn't you buy a crib that was already assembled?" Mac asked. "They could have delivered it and carried it right upstairs."

"Don't you think I thought of that?" he asked. "Holly didn't like the ones the store already had assembled. She liked this one and that means that I'm going to be putting it together."

"By the way, where is Holly?"

"She's out with Bobbie." he answered. "I told her I'd have this up and waiting by the time she got back."

"Well, at least you're trying." he commented as he walked around the nursery. "Why can't you just use this?" he asked, pointing to the baby cradle.

"Because that's a cradle." Robert told him. "It's to rock the baby."

"What about this?" he asked, pointing to the bassinet.

"That's for downstairs."

"And this?" Mac asked, pointing to the playpen that was still in the box.

"That's for outside when it gets warmer."

"I didn't realize that a baby needed so much stuff."

"Are you going to keep asking me questions or are you going to help me put this bloody thing together?" Robert asked.

Evening

Holly returned home exhausted from her afternoon with Bobbie. She did have a great time though and since it was her last time out for a while she enjoyed it to the fullest. Robert greeted her at the door and helped her take off her coat. "Did you have a nice time?" he asked.

"Splendid." she replied. "Did you get everything put together in the nursery?"

"Yes." he answered. "I want you to come and take a look at it."

"Maybe later." she told him as she headed for the couch. "I just want to lie down for a little while."

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked as he helped her to the couch.

"Yeah." she sighed. "I'm just tired."

"Can I get you anything?"

Holly laid down on her side. "I can't think of anything." she replied. "The baby's been kicking all day."

Robert pushed the material of her maternity top up to her bra and gently began rubbing her large stomach in circles. "She seems to be calm right now."

"Maybe she's asleep." she sighed as she closed her eyes.

He noticed that Holly was shifting under his touch. "Am I doing something wrong?" he asked.

"No." she replied. "It's just that my lower back hurts."

Robert shifted his hand around to her back, gently massaging it. "Better?" he asked.

"A little."

He continued to rub her back until she feel into a somewhat peaceful sleep and then covered her with a blanket. He watched her for a little while and then headed upstairs to put the finishing touches on the nursery. Afterwards he headed to the kitchen to find something to eat. Halfway through his sandwich he heard Holly calling for him.

"Do you need something?" he asked as he made his way into the livingroom and over to the couch.

Holly pushed herself up on the sofa. "You know that pain in my back?"

"Yeah."

Well it's moved."

"Moved?" he asked.

"Yes." she replied. "To my stomach."

"What does it feel like?" he asked, helping her sit up.

"Kind of like the Braxton Hicks contractions." she told him .

"Did you try changing positions like Dr. Meadows suggested?" Robert asked.

"Yes." she answered. "Nothing seems to help."

He rubbed his hand over her stomach. "Do you think you're in labor?" he asked.

"I'm not sure."

"Well." Robert sighed.. "Just sit back and try to relax." He had never felt so nervous in his entire life. Holly on the other hand seemed to be rather calm and relaxed.

After a few minutes she felt her stomach contract again followed by a sharp pain. "Robert, I'm in labor."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes." she breathed. "Call Dr. Meadows."

Sneak Peak: Holly asks Robert to make her a painful promise.


	21. Chapter 21

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 21

Pairing: Robert & Holly

Rating: PG

Robert had called and spoken with Dr. Meadows, who instructed him to time Holly's contractions and explained to him again that the first baby usually took longer and that Holly would more than likely be in labor for several hours. He did his very best to make Holly as comfortable as he could. He sat down on the cocktail table in front of the sofa. "How's the pain?" he asked.

"Not so bad." she replied.

"Aren't the contractions suppose to get stronger as labor progresses?"

"That's not comforting, Robert."

"Sorry."

"Incase I don't get a chance to tell you this later when we're in the delivery room when I'm screaming that I hate you and that I'm never going to let you touch me ever again, I want you to remember something."

"What's that?" he asked, somewhat horrified.

"I love you."

He leaned forward and softly kissed her lips. "I love you."

Holly pushed him away. "I'm having another contraction." she said as she winced in pain.

Robert hit the button on his watch to time the contraction. "Remember to breathe." he instructed. "Nice deep breaths."

She took a deep breath and slowly released it. "Okay." she agreed as she continued to repeat the process over and over until the contraction subsided. "It's over."

"Forty one seconds." he told her. "Eleven minutes apart."

"Did you put my bag in the car?" she asked. "What about the baby's car seat?"

"I've taken care of everything." he assured her. "Just relax."

"That's a little hard to do when a person is going to be coming out of me very shortly." she snapped. "I'm sorry." she immediately apologized.

"It's okay."

"I need to walk." she told him, pushing herself up off the sofa. "I think a change of position would help."

Robert helped her to stand. "I think we're handling this pretty well." he commented as he walked with her. "For it being the first time and everything."

"I suppose it could be worse."

"Do you have to go to the bathroom?" he asked. "Dr. Meadows said you needed to keep your bladder empty."

"I just went." she snapped.

"Okay." he said slowly as the continued to walk around the livingroom.

"I wanna sit now."

Robert lead her back over to the sofa.

"In the chair." she told him.

After helping her into the chair he took a seat on the sofa. "Let's focus on something positive." he suggested.

Holly glared at him. "Like what?"

"Like baby names." he replied. "We've picked out Robert Xavier for a boy and Holiday Elizabeth for a girl, right?"

"Robert, we've been through this, I don't like the name Holiday."

"Why not?"

"Because it's stupid." she snapped.

"Fine." he said calmly. "What do you suggest?"

"I don't know." she replied. "Suggest something else."

"Abigail."

Holly shook her head. "No."

"Ella." Robert suggested.

"No!"

"Julianna."

Holly's mind rushed to Anna. "Hell, no!" she snapped.

There was a long period of silence between the two of them. Holly closed her eyes as she struggled to get a handle on her emotions whilst Robert watched her intently. He wondered what she was thinking about. "Robert?" she finally said. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be so bitchy it's just the this labor thing is very trying."

Robert moved over to sit on the cocktail table in front of her. "I know." he said softly. "And I understand."

She slowly opened her eyes and focused them on him. "Robert, there's something we need to talk about." she told him. "Something that we should have discussed a long time ago but time snuck up on us and I know this isn't the best time to do it but you have to know what I want incase something happens."

"Incase something happens?" he asked, confused.

"Yes." she replied. "If, God forbid, there are complications with the baby's delivery I don't want you to have to make the decision between me and our baby."

"Oh, Holly, everything is going to be alright." he assured her. "We really don't have to discuss this."

"Yes we do." she replied.

Robert leaned forward and brushed a fallen lock of her hair back. "I love our baby, but I don't think I could live without you."

"You would learn." she replied as a single tear fell down her cheek. "You've done it before and you could do it again."

He felt his eyes welled up with tears. "You can't ask me..."

"Robert." Holly interjected. "I love you, so much and I need you to hear me out. I want you to honor my wishes just incase something does go wrong. The moment I found out I was pregnant I made a promise that I would do whatever it took to ensure the safety and the health of our baby and that meant putting the baby first, putting him above everything else. As my pregnancy progressed I realized more and more that I'd give anything for him including my own life. I need to know that if it does come down to his life or mine that you'd save the life that we created, the one I have carried and nurtured for the past nine months. I couldn't go on knowing that my child died so I could live."

He took her hands in his. "Everything's going to be fine."

Tears began to stream down Holly's face. "Please, Robert, please, you have to promise me." she begged. "Promise me."

Robert could see the fear in her eyes and he knew how important this was to her. He would die a thousand deaths for his children and he knew that Holly would do the same thing as well. He gently wiped away her tears. "I promise." he breathed out.

Holly leaned forward into his arms and rested her head on his shoulder. For some reason she couldn't get rid of the sinking feeling deep down that something wasn't right.

tbc...


	22. Chapter 22

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 22

Pairing: Robert and Holly Scorpio

Rating: PG

January 1st 1993, General Hospital

Holly rested against the pillows, taking deep, relaxing breaths as her contraction gradually subsided. They were now less than five minutes apart and becoming more intense. Robert gently rubbed his hand over her stomach, trying to soothe her.

"Robert." she breathed. "How about not touching me?"

He quickly retracted his hand. "Sorry." he said. "Can I get you anything? More ice chips?"

"No." she answered. "Just be quiet."

"Okay."

After several minutes passed another contraction hit. Holly immediately grabbed Robert's hand and squeezed tightly. "I think I'm starting to hate you!" she yelled.

"Breathe, Holly." he instructed, calmly. "Just breath."

Holly struggled to do as he instructed, but it didn't seem to do much to help the pain. Finally after the longest forty five seconds of her entire life her grip on Robert's hand lessened. He gently dabbed her forehead with a wet cloth. "How's that?" he asked.

"Better." she breathed.

She tried to relax and take those slow, deep breaths that Robert kept encouraging, but she felt her energy draining with each contraction. The uneasiness she felt before leaving the house still lingered deep down inside of her. As another contraction hit Holly screamed out in pain. "I hate you, Robert!"

Holly had a death grip on his hand, he felt as though it was going to break. "Nice deep breaths, in through in the nose and out through the mouth." he instructed. "Just like we learned in class."

"That's not helping!" she cried out.

"Try to focus." he suggested. "Think about the baby. Think about holding our baby in your arms."

Holly did just as he said and envisioned their baby safely in her arms. "That helped." she finally said once the contraction had subsided. That was the most intense contraction so far and she decided that it was just about as much as she could take. "I really want that epidural now."

General Hospital Waiting Room

"Holly wasn't had the baby yet, has she?" Robin asked as she approached Tiffany and Sean. Mac was only a few steps behind her.

"No, not yet sweetie." Tiffany answered. "Dr. Meadows said it was going to be a while."

"How's Holly progressing?" Mac asked.

"Her contraction are less than five minutes apart." Tiffany answered.

"How's my Dad doing?" Robin asked. "Is he freaking out?"

"Not yet." Sean answered. "He's nervous but I don't think he'll admit it."

"Robin, how was the party?" Tiffany asked.

She sat down next to her godmother. "It was fun." she answered. "Have you been here long?"

"About a half hour." she answered. "Get comfortable because we're going to be here for a while."

Holly's Hospital Room

The epidural had been administered and Holly was resting somewhat more comfortably. The pain didn't seem to be nearly as intense and when she squeezed Robert's hand through her contractions he didn't cry out in pain anymore. She had progressed quickly from five to eight centimeters and Dr. Meadows assured her that it wouldn't be much longer.

"Robert?" she called out softly.

He placed a kiss to the back of her hand. "Yes, luv?"

"I like the name Holiday."

Robert smiled. "You're just saying that now so I'll forgive you for telling me that you hate me."

"How about we call it even?" she suggested.

"Sounds good to me."

"I love you." she whispered.

"And I love you." he whispered back as he gently dabbed her chest with a wet cloth. "How do you feel?"

"Hot." she replied.

Robert pulled the sheet down past her stomach. "Better?" he asked.

"Much." she breathed.

Delivery Room

Holly dilated quickly and as they were prepping her for the move to the delivery room Robert changed into the scrubs they had given him. The move was swift and efficient. Everything seemed to be happening to fast.

"Okay, Holly." Dr. Meadow said. "Are you ready to start pushing?"

"Yes." she answered. "Finally."

"On the next contraction." Dr. Meadows replied. "Push." she instructed.

Holly squeezed Robert's hand tightly as she beared down as hard as she could, pushing as Dr. Meadows counted to ten. The process was repeated several times. "I can see the baby's head." the doctor announced as Holly continued to call out in pain. "Stop pushing, Holly. I need you to relax."

Holly rested against the pillows. "I hate you, Robert." she breathed out. "You can have the next one."

Robert laughed. "If I could I would."

"Holly, I just want you to relax and let the contractions work for themselves." Dr. Meadows instructed. "Just take some deep breaths."

"Robert, would you like to see the baby's head?" Dr. Meadows asked.

He moved forward a little, never quite letting go of Holly's hand. "Wow." he breathed out. "That's amazing." he said, getting the first look at his child. "She has lots of dark hair."

"Holly, just a few more pushes and the baby will be out." the doctor instructed. "Once the shoulders are out I'll help maneuver the baby out the rest of the way."

Robert moved back up to the head of the bed. He gently placed a kiss on Holly's forehead. "You're doing an amazing job." he encouraged.

"Push." Dr. Meadows commanded.

Holly pushed and pushed and pushed with all the strength she could find. With Robert's words of love and encouragement and Dr. Meadows instructions the sound of a crying baby finally filled the room.

"It's a boy." Dr. Meadows announced, holding up the screaming infant.

"A boy." Robert repeated.

"He's perfect." Holly smiled as she fell back against the pillows, completely exhausted.

After clearing the baby's airway the he was placed on Holly's stomach. "He's so beautiful." she said as she gently touched his hand.

Robert gently touched his son's hair. "He's got your nose."

Dr. Meadows and one of the attending nurses clamped off the umbilical cord. "Robert would you like to cut the cord?" Robert snipped the cord, finally discontenting mother and child. "Nurse Marina is going to take the baby and get him cleaned up." Dr. Meadows told them. "Then you can have him back. Until then we're going to deliver the placenta."

As two of the nurses were taking care of the baby, Dr. Meadows prepared to deliver the afterbirth.

Robert gently kissed Holly's lips. "I love you."

Dr. Meadows looked up at Holly to make sure she was doing okay, but when she glanced back down she saw more blood than there should have been. "Kate." Dr. Meadows called out. "I need some help."

Holly's eyelids began to feel heavy, she could barely keep her eyes open. "Robert." she breathed softly.

"I'm here." he assured her. "What's wrong?" he asked the doctor.

"Alex, escort Mr. Scorpio into the hallway." Dr. Meadows ordered as she tried to control the bleeding.

"No, I'm not leaving her!" Robert protested.

"You don't have a choice." Dr. Meadows informed him. Robert's head was spinning as Nurse Alex took him outside the delivery room.

Back inside the Delivery Room Dr. Meadows began yelling out orders to the nurses as Holly fell unconscious.

tbc...


	23. Chapter 23

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 23

Pairing: Robert and Holly Scorpio

Rating" PG

January 1st 1993, General Hospital Waiting Room

Robert slowly and numbly made his way out into the waiting area, completely dazed. He couldn't fathom how such a happy day could turn dire so quickly. Tiffany, who was now waiting alone glanced up to Robert walking toward her. She was on her feet immediately. "What happened?" she asked, fear dripping from her voice. "Is there something wrong with the baby?"

"No." he managed to answer. "The baby's fine."

Tiffany helped him to the sofa and sat down beside him. "Holly." she breathed.

"Everything was fine. She had the baby, I cut the umbilical cord and everything was fine."

"And the baby?"

"The nurses took the baby to get cleaned up and then Dr. Meadows ordered me out of the room." he explained, his head still spinning. "They wouldn't even tell me what was going on. And Holly, she looked so pale and fragile."

"Robert." Tiffany said soft as she reached for his hand. "I'm sure someone will be out to talk to you very shortly. Until then we're just going to sit here and think positive thoughts.

His heart was sinking and breaking with every passing moment. He just wished that they would come out and tell him something, tell him anything. It was better to know than to speculate. Dammit! Why wouldn't they tell him anything when they forced him out of the delivery room?

Operating Room

What Dr. Meadows had first suspected had unfortunately turned out to be correct. Holly wasn't contracting strong enough and postpartum hemorrhaging occurred. After delivering the placenta Dr. Meadows had tried every available option, she tried massaging the uterus, giving medication and changing Holly's position but nothing helped. Once inside the OR several other techniques were being tried, but Holly was losing entirely too much blood in the process.

"If this doesn't work, we're going to have to open her up and take a look from the inside." Dr. Leighton informed Dr. Meadows. "The only way to stop the bleeding may be to perform a hysterectomy."

"Holly's only in the early thirties, I don't want to have to perform a hysterectomy unless we absolutely have to." Dr. Meadows replied. "We still have a few options."

Waiting Room

Robert got up from the sofa. "All this waiting is killing me." he sighed as he ran his hands through his hair. "Why won't they come out and tell us something?"

"They will as soon as the can, Robert." Tiffany replied.

"What did you tell Robin and the others.?" he asked.

"I told them that Holly was still in labor and that I'd come and get them as soon as I heard something." she told him. "I didn't want to scare Robin."

"Good." he breathed. "I don't know how much more of this I can take, Tiff."

Tiffany got up and walked over to where he was leaning against the wall and gently wrapped her arms around him. "Holly is the strongest woman I know and I'm sure that she's going to be just fine. She has to be."

"Mr. Scorpio?" Alex called out.

"Yes?" he answered, never letting go of Tiffany. "My wife is she alright?"

"Mrs. Scorpio is under the best possible care." Alex tried to assure him. "As soon as she can Dr. Meadows will come out and speak to you. I just wanted to tell you that your baby is in the nursery and you can visit whenever you're ready."

"Thank you." he replied.

"I also wanted to give you this." she said, extending her hand. Alex gently placed Holly's wedding band in the palm of his hand and then left the room.

Robert looked down at the ring and then slowly closed his hand. "This means they had to take her into the operating room."

"We don't know that." Tiffany offered. "But for right now I think we should walk down to the nursery and take a look at that baby."

He gently nodded and slipped Holly's ring onto his pinky. Tiffany lead him down the hallway until they reached the nursery window. "In all the chaos I forgot to ask. Is the baby a boy or a girl?"

"A boy." Robert answered.

"I told ya it was a boy." she smiled. "Let's go in and see him."

They walked into the nursery and were greeted by Alex. "Would you like to hold him?" she asked.

"Sure." he smiled, trying to take his mind off of Holly. "I think I'm going to sit though." Robert sat down in the rocking chair and Alex brought the baby over and gently placed him in his father's arms.

"I'll be next door if you need anything." Alex told them as she left.

Tiffany looked down at the small baby ."Oh, Robert, he's beautiful."

"Isn't he." Robert agreed. "Holly said he was perfect."

"He is." she agreed.

He gently rocked his son, holding him tightly in his strong arms. He wanted to shield him from the entire cruel world. Tiffany watched Robert with his son but her mind wandered back to Holly and she knew Robert's did as well. As he continued to rock the baby all the tears that he had been holding in began to fall. One by one.

Operating Room

Nurse Marina looked from the monitors back to Dr. Meadows. "Her pressure's dropping."

Dr. Meadows glanced up at the machines. "Open up the IV's." she instructed.

The nurse did just as the doctor instructed, but after following several different orders nothing seemed to help. Holly's vitals continued to fall rapidly. A loud, high pitched noise began to fill the room.

"Get me a crash cart!" Dr. Meadows ordered.


	24. Chapter 24

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 24

Pairing: Robert and Holly Scorpio

Rating: PG

Robert paced frantically up and down the hospital corridor as he waited for news on Holly. It felt like she had been in there forever and it was as if time was just slowly dragging by. He wanted to hold off on telling Robin and the others until he knew something one way or the other but he didn't know how much longer he could wait.

Feeling as though his legs were going to fail him, Robert rested his back against the wall. He took long, deep breaths hoping they would calm him down. Carefully he lowered himself down so that he was sitting on the floor.

He tried thinking happy thoughts. He tried imagining Holly holding Xavier in her arms. He tried to imagine their son saying his first word or taking his first step. He tried to imagine them celebrating his first birthday.

Robert's Subconscious

It was January 1st 1994. Xavier's first birthday. Robert found it amazing how much his son had grown and changed over the past year. Xavier was now walking and talking and very much made his presences known in the Scorpio house. He had his own little personality, a little bit of his father and a little bit of his mother and a whole lot of his own. He was most definitely going to be an independent child.

"Robert?" she called out. "Did you find the candle?"

"I'm looking, Luv." he answered.

The house was filled with their family and closest friends. Robert placed the candle in the center of the cake and lit it.

Everyone sang the happy birthday as Robert attempted to show Xavier how to blow out his candle. Finally with a little help the candle went out. Xavier's hands immediately went into the small cake, grabbing as much as he could in his small fists. He brought one hand up to his mouth and started eating it and he offered the opposite hand to Robert, rubbing the cake all over his father's face, giggling the entire time.

"Yummy." Robert replied.

"Ummy." Xavier repeated as his hands delved back into the cake, making more of a mess than anything.

Robert grabbed Holly by the waist with every intention of planting a cake-coated kiss on her. "Robert." she laughed. "Don't you dare!"

"Yes." he said as he cupped her face and placed a very messy kiss on her lips. Holly laughed as she pushed Robert away and licking the sweet confection from her lips. Xavier flung a fist full of cake in his parents direction.

"Uh-oh." Robert sighed. "Are you throwing things at Mummy?"

"Of course he's not." Holly replied. "He's throwing things at Daddy."

"Mama." Xavier said loudly, holding out a handful of cake to her to which Holly graciously accepted. "Thank you, darling." she replied.

"Sure." Robert replied, laughing. "He offers you a bite but smashed mine in my face." he laughed as he wiped off the excess cake from his face. "Aim for Mummy next time."

Robert lifted Xavier up out of his highchair. "We need to get you clean up so you can open your presents." he told his son. "Right Mummy?" he asked as he turned to his left. "Holly?" he called out, looking around "Holly?" She was gone. It was as if she had vanished into thin air. Just as if she had never been there at all.

General Hospital

"Mr. Scorpio?" Dr. Meadows called out. "Mr. Scorpio?"

Robert snapped out of his daze and quickly got to his feet. "Holly?" he asked. "Is she alright?"

"Holly experienced what we call Postpartum Hemorrhaging." she explained. "Luckily we were able to stop the bleeding before any drastic measures had to be taken."

"You didn't have to perform a hysterectomy?" he asked.

"No." she answered. "Holly will be able to have more children in the future if she chooses to do so."

"Thank you." Robert replied. "When can I see her?"

"I'll take you to her now." she told him.

Holly's Hospital Room

Robert cautiously entered and closed the door behind him. Holly looked the same as the last time he had seen her, pale and delicate. He made his way over to her bed and had a seat in the chair beside her. "Holly." he breathed out as he took her hand in his. "I thought I was going to lose you." he confessed. "I don't know what I would have done without you. There's no way I could have raised Xavier and Robin all on my own."

He gently stroked her long, dark hair. "Dr. Meadows said that you're going to wake up soon and that if I talked to you that it would help." he told her. "Xavier's in the nursery and he's the most amazing baby, Holly. He's very healthy, he weighs 7 pounds and 3 ounces. I can't wait until you hold him, it's the most incredible feeling in the entire world to look down at the little face that you helped create and to have him look back up at you."

Robert placed a kiss to the back of her hand. "Holly." he said softly as he closed his eyes. "I love you." Holly gently squeezed his hand causing his eyes to fly open. "Holly."

"Robert." she said groggily as she focused her eyes on him. "What happened? Did you find Anna?"

tbc...


	25. Chapter 25

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 25

Pairing: Robert and Holly Scorpio

Rating: PG

"Robert." she said groggily as she focused her eyes on him. "What happened? Did you find Anna?"

"Anna?" he repeated. "Holly, Anna's dead, remember?" he asked. "Do you know where you are?"

"I just need a minute." she told him. "Everything's a little fuzzy."

"One of the nurse's brought this to me." Robert said, holding up her wedding band. "Would you like me to put it back on?"

Holly smiled weakly. "Yes, please." she answered.

Robert slid the ring down on her finger. "That's much better." he said as he placed a kiss over the ring. "I thought I was going to lose you."

"Never." she assured him.

"You promise?" he asked.

"I promise." she said softly. "I love you."

He kissed her lips softly. "I love you, too."

She held his hand tightly in hers. "Where's Xavier?"

"He's in the nursery." he replied. "Auntie Tiffany is with him. Would you like to see him?"

"Yes, more than anything in the world." she answered. "But first I want to know what happened."

"You hemorrhaged." he told her. "But Dr. Meadows and Dr. Leighton were able to get it under control in the OR."

"The OR!" she asked. "Oh, Robert, they didn't have to..."

"No." he interjected. "Everything's fine now." he assured her as he gently caressed her cheek. "You're fine and we have a beautiful, healthy son who has been waiting to see his Mummy."

"I can't wait to hold him."

Robert placed a kiss on her hand and then let it go. "I'll go get him." he said. "I have to stop by the nurse's station first to let them know you're awake."

General Hospital Nursery

Tiffany gently cradled Xavier in her arms, rocking him gently whilst humming a lullaby. The idea of being a Mother excited her and holding Robert and Holly's baby only cemented her desire for motherhood even more. She wanted more than anything to have a child of her own. Someone to love and nurture and watch grow up before her eyes.

Sean knocked softly on the doorway trying to get Tiffany's attention. "Hey." he said softly.

She smiled as she looked up at him. "Hey."

"How's Holly?" he asked.

"She's fine." she replied. "Robert's with her now. Did Mac tell Robin about what happened?"

"No." he answered as he moved over next to her. "He thought it would be best if she didn't know."

"He's right." she said. "So what do you think of Xavier?"

"I think he's incredible." Sean answered.

Tiffany looked up at Sean. "I want a baby."

"Well." he said smiling. "It's about time you admitted the truth."

"So we can start trying?" shed asked.

"Absolutely."

Robert entered the nursery with the biggest smile on his face. "Hello."

"How's Holly?" Tiffany asked.

"Wonderful." he replied. "She's awake and ready to see Xavier."

Sean extended his hand to Robert. "Congratulations." he said as he shook his hand.

"Thank you." Robert replied. "Being a father is one of the greatest, most satisfying feelings in the entire world."

Tiffany stood up. "You shouldn't keep Holly waiting." she replied as she gently placed Xavier into his father's arms.

"Hey, Tiff, would you find Robin and send her to Holly's room?" he asked. "I thought we could all bond with the baby together."

"Of course." she answered.

Holly's Hospital Room

"Did you miss us?" Robert asked as he appeared in the doorway with their son in his arms. "Because we missed you."

Holly watched as Robert walked across the room and sat down on the bed beside her. He carefully placed the baby in Holly's arms. "He's beautiful." she said as her eyes filled up with tears. "I can't believe that he's finally here."

Robert kissed the top of Xavier's head. "Can you believe he's ours?" he asked. "We actually get to take him home and keep him."

"It feels like a dream. He's absolutely amazing." she said. "And so are you."

He placed a kiss on her lips. "You have made me the happiest man alive." he told her. "Xavier is a wonderful addition to our family. I can't wait to have more."

"More?" she asked.

"Yes." he told her. "I want a little girl who looks just like you to complete our family."

Robin who had been listening outside the door finally made her presence known. "Congratulations, Dad, you're finally getting the family you always wanted." she snapped. "With Holly."

tbc...


	26. Chapter 26

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 26

Pairing: Robert and Holly

Rating: PG

Robin who had been listening outside the door finally made her presence known. "Congratulations, Dad, you're finally getting the family you always wanted." she snapped. "With Holly."

Robert looked at his daughter then at his wife and then finally back to his daughter. "Do you want to run that by me again?" he asked.

"You heard me." Robin snapped again. "My mother and I were just substitutes and we would have always been if it wasn't for her death and Holly's reappearance. Now that Holly's back I don't matter anymore."

"That's not true!" he told her. "And you know it!"

"Yes it is." she replied. "I haven't mattered from the moment you came back and found out that she was pregnant. Everything has been about Holly and the baby."

"I've heard about enough!" Holly said sternly. "You and I, Robin, have had this conversation before. It didn't hold any weight then and it's not going to now."

Robin rolled her eyes. "Right." she sighed. "Because being a Mother for five minutes has made you an expert. You can't tell me what to do."

"I suggest you drop the attitude." Robert told her.

"Robin, I have included you in Xavier's life from the very beginning." Holly reminded her. "You know that I love you as if you were my own."

"You're not my Mother." Robin snapped.

"No." Holly agreed. "I'm not. Anna will always be your Mother and nothing will ever change that. But that doesn't mean that you're not a part of this family anymore just because she's gone." she said softly. "You're Father and I love you and that's not going to change no matter how many other children we have."

Robin's eyes began to fill with tears, she quickly turned and dashed out the door. Robert got up off the bed to followed her, but Holly caught his hand. "Let her go." she told him. "Once she calms down she'll come back in. She just needs a little time alone."

Robert brought her hand up to his lips. "I'd be so lost without you." he said and then placed a soft kiss to the back of her hand. "When you I thought I could lose you..."

"Robert." she interjected. "I love you and I'd never willingly leave you."

"I know." he replied as he gently stroked his son's hair. "I love you, Holly." he said as he kissed her lips and then dropped a kiss on Xavier's head. "And I love you."

Holly smiled to herself. Seeing Robert interact with his son was amazing. It was everything she had dreamt of and more. "Here, you take him for a while." she said as she handed the baby over to Robert.

Robert gently cradled Xavier in his arms. "Mac and Tiffany and Sean are going to stop by tomorrow to see you." he told her. "Tiffany has already grown quite attached to this little guy."

"Good." Holly replied. "Hopefully it's planted some ideas in her head because I fully expect a playmate for Xavier by the end of the year."

"Have you ran this past Tiffany?" he asked.

"No." she answered. "I knew that once she held our baby she'd come to the conclusion all on her own."

There was a soft knock on Holly's open door. Holly looked up to discover Tiffany standing in the doorway. "Hello."

Holly smiled. "Hello."

Tiffany made her way over to the bed and gently hugged Holly. "You scared me nearly to death." she said as she pulled away.

"I know." she replied. "So Robert tells me you've been bonding with Xavier."

"I have." Tiffany said. "He's the most adorable baby I've ever laid eyes on."

"Thank you." Robert smiled. "He looks just like his Father."

Tiffany laughed. "You're not conceded even a little bit are you?" she asked. "Oh, by the way I looked for Robin like you asked but I wasn't able to find her."

"She found us." Robert said.

"Good." Tiffany sighed. "I really should be going, I just wanted to see with my own eyes that you were alright." she told Holly. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Bye." Robert and Holly echoed.

"You know, we didn't tell Robin about what happened in the delivery room." Robert told Holly. "We weren't quite sure of how she would take it."

"Robin doesn't need to know." she replied. "Besides everything is over and done with and everyone is all right."

A crying Robin suddenly re-appeared in the doorway. She knocked softly this time. "Can I come in?"

"Of course." Holly replied.

Robin slowly made her way across the room. "I'm sorry." she apologized. "I shouldn't have said those things."

"It's okay." Holly assured her.

"No it's not." she replied as a few tears trickled down her face. "I was being selfish."

Robert got up from the bed with Xavier and took a seat in the chair beside the window, leaving Robin and Holly to talk alone.

"Come sit." Holly instructed.

Robin sat down in the spot her Father had vacated. "Will you forgive me?"

"Of course." she said as she gently wiped away a few of her step-daughter's tears.

"I'm sorry." Robin said softly as she made her way into Holly's embrace. "I love you." she sobbed into her Holly's shoulder.

"I love you, too." Holly said as she gently stroked Robin's hair.

tbc...


	27. Chapter 27

Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 27

Pairing: Robert & Holly Scorpio

Rating: PG

Scorpio Residence, July 4th 1995

Holly carefully made her way overtop of scattered toys and into the kitchen to finish the preparations for their fourth of July celebration. "Mummy." a little voice called out as soon as she walked into the kitchen.

"What's the matter, Xavier?" Holly asked as she stepped back into the livingroom.

"Mummy, Mummy." Xavier called out as he made his way out of the den and into the livingroom. "I no find my twruck."

"Mom?" Robin called out as she made her way down the stairs. "Have you seen my sunglasses?"

"Mama." the baby squealed from the playpen.

Holly closed her eyes and took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "Xavier, your truck is in the kitchen and Robin your sunglasses are on the diningroom table." She opened the kitchen door to go back inside and Xavier came charging out.

"Can you pease get da baby out?" Xavier asked with his truck in hand. "I wanna pway wif her."

"Are you going to play nicely?" Holly asked.

"Yes, Mummy."

"Okay." she said as she walked over to the playpen and lifted her ten month old daughter into her arms. Holly tried to smooth down Holiday's dark, unruly curls. "You have to play nicely."she told him again. "She's a lot smaller than you."

"I know." he sighed. "Pud her on da fwoor."

Holly placed the baby down on the floor next to Xavier. She watched for a few minutes as they played. Xavier was very sweet to his little sister. He shared his toys, talked to her and showered her with kisses whilst Mummy was still in the room. Holly wasn't in the kitchen two minutes before she heard the baby start to cry.

"Xavier?" she called out as she entered the livingroom. "What's wrong?"

"She no pway fair, Mummy!" he said.

Holly walked over and picked her crying daughter up. "She's little, she doesn't know how to play fair." she told her son. "You have to teach her."

"I no like her when she cries." he said bluntly. "Howiday needs a dummy." Holly took her daughter's dummy out of the playpen and popped it in Holiday's mouth. The baby calmed down immediately. "I towld ya." he sighed.

"You're so much like your Father." Holly said to herself more than to Xavier.

"Hello, luv!" Robert said as he came through the kitchen door. "I got everything you asked for at the store."

"Everything on the list?" she asked.

"Everything." he said as he leaned in and kissed her lips.

"Eww." Xavier said as he made a face. "Yucky!"

"You say that now my boy." Robert laughed as he watched his son head into the den. "I'm all ready to fire up the grill and throw on the hamburger and hotdogs."

"I think you should wait on Sean." she suggested.

"You don't think I can cookout without Sean?" he asked taking Holiday out her arms. "I'm an excellent chef. Isn't that right, Holiday?" Robert asked as he removed the baby's dummy and began tickling her. She giggled in delight. "See, Holiday thinks so too."

"I just don't want you to burn anything." Holly told him. "If you and Sean cook together the chances of the grill going up in flames decreases."

Robert laughed. "That's what you think." he replied. "Besides when Tiffany comes waddling in here she's going to want to eat right away."

"Poor Tiffany." Holly sighed. "It's so difficult to be pregnant in the summer."

"All the more reason to have the food ready and waiting." Robert said.

"Mom?" Robin called out. "Hey Dad, you're back."

"Yes." he said slowly. "Did you need something?"

"Um." Robin sighed. "Jason's here and we want to hang out up in my room until everyone gets here."

"Hello Mrs. Scorpio." Jason said as he entered the room. "Mr. Scorpio."

"Hello Jason." Holly smiled.

"Jason, son, how are the Quartermaine's?" Robert asked as he put his arm around Jason making the young man uncomfortable.

"Good." he answered.

Robert smiled. "Instead of going upstairs, why don't the two of you stay down here and watch the children whilst Holly and I get everything ready." he handed Holiday over to Jason. "Be careful, don't break her, she's the only one we have."

Jason gently cradled the child in his arms. "Yes, sir."

Holly tried to conceal her laughter. "Xavier is playing in the den." she said as she headed for the kitchen with Robert only a few steps behind her. "If you were trying to be smooth about that, darling, I'm afraid you failed."

"I just wanted to get the point across." he said as he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. "Besides you're not ready to be a Grandmother yet are you?"

"No." she answered. "I feel old just thinking about it."

"Let's have another baby." he suggested.

Holly's eyes grew wide with shock. "Where did that come from?" she asked. "How did we get from Grandchildren to another baby?"

"I don't know." he sighed.

"We have two babies." she pointed out.

"Yes but they're going to grow up." Robert told her. "Besides Sean and Tiffany are going to beat us."

"We're having a race with Sean and Tiffany?" she asked. "Just because they feel the need to reproduce like rabbits doesn't mean that we have to." she laughed. "Caitlin and Jennifer and this new baby are so close together in age. I thought Xavier and Holiday were difficult over a year and a half apart. I can't imagine adding another child in there."

"Well, I guess we'll be tied at three." he sighed. "But if they go for a fourth one then you and I will have this conversation again."

"You're absolutely insane." Holly laughed as she leaned forward and kissed him. "And I'm madly in love with you."

Robert silenced her with a long, passionate kiss. "I love you, Mrs. Scorpio."

The End!


End file.
